Austin, TX

Austin Texas

Austin is the capital of Texas and the largest city in Travis County, with parts in Hays and Williamson counties as well. It was incorporated on December 27, 1839, and is now the 10th most populous city in the U.S., the fourth most city in Texas, and the second most populous state capital. Since 2010, Austin has experienced rapid growth and is one of the fastest growing large cities in the country. Located approximately 80 miles apart, Downtown Austin and Downtown San Antonio are both along the Interstate 35 corridor. The San Antonio-Austin metropolitan region has a population of around 5 million people. Austin is the southernmost state capital in the contiguous United States and is classified as a Beta-level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

According to the latest data, Austin’s population in 2021 was approximately 964,177, an increase from the 2020 census figure of 961,855. The city serves as the hub for both cultural and economic activities in the Austin–Round Rock metropolitan statistical area, which had an estimated population of 2,421,115 as of July 1, 2022. Situated in Central Texas, specifically within the expansive Texas Hill Country, Austin boasts a plethora of lakes, rivers, and waterways. Notable examples include Lady Bird Lake and Lake Travis on the Colorado River, as well as Barton Springs, McKinney Falls, and Lake Walter E. Long.

Austinites, the residents of Austin, Texas, comprise a diverse population of government employees, college students, musicians, high-tech workers, and blue-collar workers. The city’s slogan, “The Live Music Capital of the World,” reflects its vibrant music scene and live music venues, as well as the popular PBS TV concert series Austin City Limits. Austin has also embraced the nickname “Silicon Hills” due to the influx of technology and development companies in the 1990s. More recently, some Austinites have adopted the unofficial slogan “Keep Austin Weird,” which expresses a desire to protect small, unique, and local businesses from being overrun by large corporations. Additionally, Austin has been known as the “City of the Violet Crown” since the late 19th century, owing to the picturesque glow of light across the hills just after sunset.