All About Lake Travis and Austin, Texas 

What People Find 

Newcomers rarely expect what they get when they arrive in Austin.  

They come to Texas with visions of dust, tumbleweeds, plains, and cattle. Instead, in the Austin area they find breathtaking vistas of lakes and hills, rolling farmland and pine forests. No wonder the Austin area is such a destination point. 

From the moment one arrives, the city’s beauty attracts attention. The Texas Colorado River, the largest river contained wholly within Texas, runs through the middle of town on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. A series of dams on the river has created seven lakes that stretch from the Austin city limits to a point 150 miles upstream.  

Lake Travis lies on Austin’s western edge; Lake Austin and Town Lake are situated in the heart of the “River City”, dividing its north and south. 

Lady Bird Johnson, wife of the late President Lyndon B. Johnson, years ago spurred the beautification process that transformed the shores of Town Lake into an inviting, appealing environment, featuring a 28 mile hike-and-bike trail adorned with native plants. 

Opportunities for outdoor recreation abound, from cool, spring-fed swimming holes to running trails to outdoor music venues. 25% of all new U.S. golf courses built in the past 5 years have been in Austin. This is the home of Lance Armstrong, 7-time Tour de France champion, and cycling is popular here. The Capital 10,000 and Freescale Marathon attract thousands each year.  

Don’t miss the bats! Austin has the world’s largest urban colony of Mexican free-tailed bats, and viewing the colony emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge at dusk is a must see! 

More and more people are discovering that the Austin metropolitan area is at the heart of what Texas has to offer. Call Mick for a personal tour of the city and lakes!
 

How Austin Ranks 

• #1 Coolest City in America (2003, 2004).
Rank based on nightlife, culture, job growth, number of singles, cost of living alone, coolness, and public opinion. (Forbes, June 2004)Money Magazine lists Austin as #2 among 10 Best Places to Live", based on financial, educational and quality of life criteria. (July 2006)
Kiplinger's ranks Austin "#5 in 50 Smart Places to Live". (June 2006)  

• #3 Best Places for Business and Careers.
Economy.com considered "expenses related to labor, energy, taxes and office space" as well as the workforce, job and income growth, migration patterns, crime rates, and culture and leisure. (Forbes, 2003 and 2004)Inc. Magazine highlighted Austin as one of the hottest entrepreneurial regions in the country. (Sept 2007)
Moody's Economy.com also ranked Austin as the best place for business. (Aug 2007)
The US Census Bureau ranks Austin #5 among the Most Educated Cities in the U.S., with 45% of the population holding a college degree or higher.  

• #2 in "America’s Favorite Cities" poll. The Travel and Leisure poll considered city dwellers who are "good looking", "friendly", and "proud of their city". (Travel and Leisure, March 2004)
National Geographic Adventure named Austin as Texas' #1 Adventure Town in their list of the "50 Best Places to Live and Play". (September 2007)
National Geographic Traveler dubbed Austin "The Best Little City in America". (Nov/Dec 2006). Sperling's Best Places named Austin #9 among the Top Ten "Chill" Cities, based on the behavior of residents and social opportunities. (July 2006) 

• #1 Top 10 Hottest Wireless Cities. Austin boasts more free wireless hotspots per capita than anywhere else in the country. (Newsweek, June 2004) 

• #1 Smallest U.S. Gain in 2003 Housing Prices.
Housing prices rose nearly 80% in 2003 but in Austin, prices increased by only 1.23%. (Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, March 2004)  

• #1 in U.S. for Relocating Families. Austin won because commute times are lower than the national average, there is no state income tax, housing prices have leveled off, average income is high relative to cost of living and the city has the third highest expected job-growth rate in the country. (Worldwide Employee Relocation Council. Sperling’s Best Places, May 2004) Again in 2006, Sperling's rated Austin among the "8 Cheap Places You'd Want to Live".  

• #1 in Creativity for U.S. Regions. Austin beat San Francisco and Seattle in a survey ranking creativity based on technology, talent and tolerance. (Harvard Business Journal, Feb. 2004)  

• #2 Retail Market in the Nation.
Considered were increased consumer spending, a housing market with low interest rates and rapid population growth. (Austin Business Journal, Jan. 2004)  

• #1 "Top 10 Cities for Moviemakers."
(MovieMaker magazine, winter 2004) 

• #1 Airport for all airports its size --
Austin Bergstrom International Airport. (J.D. Power and Associates 2003) ABIA also ranked among the top airports of any size worldwide for overall satisfaction. (J.D. Power and AssociatesWinter 2004) And again, in 2006, Austin Bergstrom was named the Best Domestic Aiport at the 2006 Aiports Council International Airport Service Quality Awards.  

• #4 Safest Big City in the Nation
according to a study in the Austin Business Journal (Austin Business Journal, Dec. 2002) AARP The Magazine considers Austin one of the top 4 cities to watch as a retirement-friendly community. (July 2007)  

• #3 Best Cities for Entrepreneurs
Top large cities in Southwest— Austin/San Marcos, TX. (Entrepreneur.com 2003) Fast Company magazine lists Austin as a "Startup Hub" with a creative, young population and a high number of wi-fi Internet spots per capita. (July 2007). Expansion Magazine marks Austin as the #1 metropolitan location for future business. (Aug 2006)
 

• #3 Best Cities for Singles
Survey - Forbes.com 2004 (Forbes, Jul. 2003) Kiplinger's Personal Finance rates Austin among the "Top 5 Cities for Young Singles". (June 2007)
BizJournals.com names Austin #7 among the Top Job Markets for Young Adults. (Apr 2007)  

• #1 Best Big City to Live in the U.S.
(msn.com 2002) Men's Journal names Austin in the top 5 cities "to embrace urban life" (Apr 2007) and #2 among the 50 Best Places to Live based on potential for adventure, attractiveness and affordability. (Apr 2006)  

• #13 Fittest City in the Country
(Men’s Fitness magazine 2003) 

• #2 in America's Heart Healthy Cities
(Men’s Journal Aug 2006). Prevention Magazine lists Austin as #2 in "Top 10 Cities for Taking a Stroll". (Mar 2007)
And Natural Home magazine ranks Austin #2 in America's Top 10 Eco-Friendly Communities, citing "neighborhoods you want to live in" featuring walkability, green planning and outdoor orientation. (Jan/Feb 2007)
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) ranks Austin #8 in Top 10 Vegetarian/Vegan-Friendly Large Cities. (Apr 2006)
 

Statistics 

• Population (2007): 735,088 within the Austin city limits; 1,501,522 in the greater five-county Metro area  

• Austin, the state capital, ranks 16th in the nation in population 

• No corporate income tax- state or local 

• No personal income tax- state or local 

• Within 200 miles of three of the top 10 largest cities in the U.S. (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio) 

• 150 mile chain of lakes winds through the Texas Hill Country into Austin 

• 300 days of sunshine per year. Temperatures in the winter hover around 45 to 65 degrees F, Spring in the 70 to 80 degree range, and Summers 85 to high 90s. We have 31 inches of rain annually. Snow is extremely rare. 

• 116,000 students enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin and 6 other Austin colleges. 37% of the Austin population over age 25 holds a Bachelor’s degree, and 12% have graduate degrees. 

• Half of the region’s population is at peak working age, 20 to 44, which lends itself to a strong entrepreneurial culture with creative energy. 

• Official slogan: “Live Music Capital of the World” 

• Major employers include Austin Independent School District, City of Austin, Dell, Federal Government, Freescale Semiconductor, IBM, Seton Healthcare Network, State of Texas, St. David’s Healthcare Partnership, and the University of Texas at Austin. 

Click here to go to my other website, devoted exclusively to Lake Travis real estate.  

Click here to take a Virtual Tour of Lake Travis. Press the back button on your browser to return to this page. 

Click here for a 12-minute streaming video about Austin! If the video pop-up is blocked by your browser, hold down the Ctrl key while you click the link. Press the back button on your browser to return to this page. 

Fill out the form below to request my Free Cedar Park, Lake Travis, and North Austin Relocation Package. It's packed full of useful and important information about the Cedar Park, Lake Travis, and North Austin, Texas area. Don't move here without it! 

I'll send it to you for free and without obligation. Just fill out the form and I will send it right out...