Why I moved to Austin, Texas: People share their top reasons (and why they love it here)

What makes Austin, Texas so attractive -- particularly to people moving from other states? We asked around, and it turns out, there's lots to love about living in Central Texas, and it's not just affordability.

Georgie Mihaila
15 Min Read
colorful ATX sign in Austin, Texas
Photo credit: GSPhotography / Shutterstock

With its thriving job market, world-famous live music scene, outdoor activities, and unique local cuisine, Austin has long been attracting new residents from outside state lines.

The Texas city has seen its population double every 20 to 25 years. In fact, recent city data shows that people moving to Austin from other parts of Texas and other states made up 45% of the growth recorded in the city’s metro area between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023.

And even though this has been a major contributor of growth to the Austin region, recent figures show slower growth in the last couple of years, with the influx of residents from pricier cities driving up the cost of living and making it less appealing for potential newcomers.

Nevertheless, we wanted to see what drives people to move to Austin. What in particular makes this Texas city so attractive — particularly to people from other states? And it turns out, there’s lots to love about living in Central Texas, and it’s not just affordability.

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Great people, welcoming business environment

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Dillon Forte, a famous tattoo artist who has inked celebs like Usher, Kat Von D, and Chris Hemsworth, chose to move out of Los Angeles and built a tattoo ranch just outside of Austin.

“I was living and running my shop in Venice, California, when I realized I needed a significant change for my family and the tattoo business,” says Dillon, owner and tattoo artist at FORTE Tattoo.

I think the buzz of living around Los Angeles wears off when you get past your 20s, especially if you don’t have to be there for whatever you do. A majority of my clientele comes from all over the country and even from around the world.” 

Settling down in the Texas city brought a positive change in Dillon’s life, with both his family life and business thriving in Austin’s welcoming environment.

“The people of Texas are just incredible, and my family has really enjoyed the change of pace. But what’s truly exciting is how my business has thrived in this new environment. It really speaks to the potential and opportunities that Texas offers those who appreciate it. Did I mention the food out here is incredible?” 

Easy access to both big-city and small-town lifestyles

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“I had visited Texas many times and fell in love with its energy and culture while also appreciating the land and landscapes surrounding it. A few years back, I initially had my shop in Austin and moved it to a large property in Wimberley, just outside the city,” Dillon Forte added.

“This move allowed me to live both a big-city and small-town lifestyle, which is nearly impossible in California.”

Lower cost of living than other tech-heavy metro areas

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Despite the city’s cost of living going up — with many citing the influx of new residents as one of the key factors for the rising prices — Austin is still considerably more affordable than bigger, tech-heavy cities like San Francisco, Boston, or New York City.

Aaliyah Kissick, now a Personal Finance Expert/CEO at Financial Literacy Diaries, experienced that firsthand while living in Austin when her husband was completing his internship in tech.

“Because I was studying financial planning, I was thinking about our future. What stood out to me is the relatively low cost of living. Compared to the rest of Texas, Austin is not as low-cost, but compared to other metropolitan areas with a large tech community, living here is the best bet.”

Real estate prices and living costs

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Originally from Los Angeles, Wendy Rosenthal returned home after spending 10 years living abroad to find an unrecognizable city, one in which the cost of living had skyrocketed — making it difficult to keep up with costs. So she weighed her options:

“Half of my family hails from Texas, so I’ve been visiting its vibrant cities my entire life. In the winter of 2019, while spending time with family in Austin, I decided to casually check out the local housing market,” Wendy reminisced.

“To my absolute astonishment, I discovered that for what I was paying in rent for a 3-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles, I could afford a 3-bedroom house with a huge backyard and pool in Austin for $1,000 less! Intrigued, I delved deeper into the cost of living in Texas. From business expenses to gas, electricity, and even private school fees for my son, everything was significantly cheaper.

A healthier, more nature-oriented lifestyle

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“The perks didn’t end there,” says Wendy, a successful entrepreneur, author, and life coach who founded Pathfinder 1 to 1.

“The streets were wider, traffic was lighter, and nature surrounded me and lakes, creeks and nature trails were just a short, anxiety-free drive away. Plus, there was a palpable culture of healthy living; every day, you could see people of all ages out walking, running, and cycling. I felt inspired, not imprisoned.

Affordability and a dynamic cultural scene

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Taylor Moore, an adult influencer and co-founder of Teasy Agency, says her recent move to Austin, TX, has been transformative, offering a fresh perspective on the unique benefits of this vibrant city.

“I moved to Austin from Los Angeles, California, because of its affordability, vibrant culture, and business-friendly environment,” Taylor tells us, before sharing that “Moving to Austin felt like hitting the refresh button on life. The city’s affordable cost of living and dynamic cultural scene created an irresistible blend of opportunity and excitement.”

Better work/personal life balance

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“Austin is where Silicon Hills meets Southern hospitality, perfect for someone looking to balance a thriving career with a rich, fulfilling personal life,” Taylor Moore added when citing reasons why she loves living in Austin. “The bustling tech industry and burgeoning creative community provide endless opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

She pointed out that not only is her business thriving, but her personal life is too, with the city making it easier for her to strike a balance.

“The lower taxes and friendly business environment made it an ideal place for Teasy Agency to grow and flourish. Leaving behind the concrete jungle of Los Angeles, I found in Austin a place where my professional ambitions and personal joys could coexist harmoniously.”

Both family-friendly and entrepreneurial

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Reiterating Taylor’s point, Amy Jackson, Founder and CEO at TaleSplash says that moving to Austin inspired her to start her own business, encouraged by the city’s family-friendly yet highly entrepreneurial vibe.

I moved to Austin at the end of 2020 after dealing with three consecutive summers of wildfire smoke, power outages, and the pandemic in Northern California,” Amy tells us. “We love how family-friendly and entrepreneurial Austin is. Moving here inspired me to start my own business.

The city’s diversity and inclusivity

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Another major draw for newcomers is the city’s diverse and inclusive community. “I moved to Austin because of its reputation as a diverse and inclusive city,” says Naomi Clarke, Head of HR at Flingster, who moved here from San Francisco, California.

“As someone deeply involved in community outreach and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, I wanted to be in an environment where diversity is celebrated and inclusion is a priority. Austin’s vibrant cultural scene, welcoming atmosphere, and progressive values made it the perfect place to continue my work and feel at home.”

Simply fell in love with Austin while stationed here

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A recent Texas transfer, Paden Sickles is a military veteran who launched her business, SickFit, a unique sock, streetwear, and custom embroidery company after a ruck march destroyed her feet.

“I recently moved to Texas from Savannah, GA, after transitioning from active-duty Army to civilian life. I’m still settling in, but having been stationed at Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) and living near Austin, I fell in love with the area and couldn’t wait to move back. I yearned for the culture. HEB is fantastic, but it’s really the culture, art, growth, like-minded people, and unique vibe that make it special.”

Solid benefits for military veterans

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Paden Sickles also highlights the many benefits available to military veterans living here.

“I personally believe that Texas is the top choice as far as the best state for military veterans to live. And I say that because Texas just offers so many different things: you have the no-property tax for 100% disabled veterans, you have no state income tax, and then you have the Hazlewood Act for education as well. I may be a little biased, but for my research and what I’ve done, these factors contribute to Texas being a top choice for many veterans transitioning to civilian life.”

A vibrant downtown area

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With a rich sense of history and a thriving entertainment scene, the downtown area is Austin’s beating heart. And newcomers like Rick Havacko, who handles Corporate Communications at Toshiba Business, quickly fell in love with this vibrant part of the city, going as far as calling it “one of the coolest places on the planet.”

“I moved to Austin in October 2021 from Orange County, California. I considered the move while working from home during the pandemic. When receiving approval from my employer to move, the choice was between Austin (where I had visited before and enjoyed) and Nashville, which I had heard such great things about. Upon traveling to both places in the summer of 2021, I decided to hang my hat in Austin. It almost came down to a coin flip though as both areas are so good featuring all the benefits of city life with a rural feel,” Rick said in an exclusive quote for Fancy Pants Homes.

“Beyond the obvious affordability v. California (though property taxes are much higher in Texas), the move has been one of my best decisions. Downtown Austin is one of the coolest places on the planet. It bustles with positive energy with live music at pretty much every turn & the University of Texas at Austin adds to that vibe. I would do it all over again. Happy to live in Central Texas.”

An emerging comedy scene

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Carter Morgan, an international stand-up comedian who’s now busy performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, found a completely different reason to fall in love with Austin: the city’s burgeoning comedy scene.

“I travel outside of the US for months at a time doing mini-tours and comedy festivals, so keeping an empty apartment in NYC was getting expensive. I was looking for a new scene and one of my comedy buddies told me to check out Austin,” Carter tells us.

“I can’t lie, I was skeptical at first, but he wasn’t wrong: Texas has no state taxes, cheaper rent and an emerging comedy scene with clubs like the Creek and the Cave (which is run by a NYC expat), Cap City, The Velveeta Room, Fallout Theater, Comedy Mothership, and more. They even have major comedy festivals like Moontower and SXSW Comedy. All in all, the comedy is different and raw, and the scene isn’t as diverse as NY, but there’s still a lot for comedy lovers to like.”

Do you live in Austin? We’d love to hear what you love most about the city!

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With a decade-long career as a digital content creator, Georgie started out as a real estate journalist for Multi-Housing News & CPExecutive. She later transitioned into digital marketing, working with leading real estate websites like PropertyShark, RENTCafé and Point2Homes. After a brief but impactful stint in the start-up world, where she led the marketing divisions of fintech company NestReady and media publisher Goalcast, Georgie returned to her first passion, real estate, and founded FancyPantsHomes.com