Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in Texas. It is no wonder so many families are relocating to the city, as Austin offers so much including a high quality of life, great parks, safe neighborhoods, and excellent employment opportunities, especially for those with academic, political or technological interests. Austin is a beautiful city with great restaurants, shopping, and cultural events happening all the time. There’s always something to do in Austin!
Location
Austin is the capitol city of Texas and located in central Texas, in Travis County. Austin is located approximately 16 miles from Lakeway and 17 miles from Round Rock. Austin is approximately 150 miles from Houston and 183 miles from Dallas. San Antonio is approximately 80 miles from Austin and Corpus Christi and the Gulf of Mexico are 172 miles away.
Airport
The major airport serving Austin, Texas is the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport that is approximately 10 miles from the metropolis of Austin. Airlines serving at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport include JetBlue, American Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta, and Frontier Airlines. Also included are America West Airlines and United Airlines.
Other public use airports in the area include Robert Mueller Municipal Airport in Austin and Kittie Hill Airport in Leander (24 miles away).
Terrain
Austin has a land area of 251 square miles.
Austin is situated on the Colorado River, and there are three man-made lakes within the city limits, Town Lake, Lake Austin, and Lake Walter E. Long. Part of Lake Travis, including Mansfield Dam, is located within the city's limits. To generate hydroelectric power and prevent flooding, the Lower Colorado River Authority operates a series of dams that form the Texas Highland Lakes. The lakes also provide opportunity for water sports including boating and swimming. There are several parks located on the lakes.
The city is situated on the Balcones Escarpment, which appears from the plains as a range of wooded hills, separating the Edwards Plateau in the west from the Coastal Plains.
The western suburbs of Austin are located on the edge of Texas Hill Country and have scenic rolling hills. Mount Bonnell is 780 feet above sea level and overlooks Lake Austin and the Colorado River, approximately 200 feet below its summit.
Population
The City of Austin has an estimated population of 700,400. There was a 1.03% increase in population from the year 2000 to 2005. In the year 2035, Austin estimates that the population will be close to 1,191,937.
Jobs
The abundance of technology companies has led to the region's nickname, “The Silicon Hills". Austin was originally nicknamed "Silicon Gulch", but San Jose, California already had that distinction. The influx of technological companies to Austin has spurred rapid development that has greatly expanded the city.
Austin's biggest employers include the State of Texas, the University of Texas, Dell, IBM and Freescale Semiconductor (spun off from Motorola in 2004). Other high-tech companies in Austin include Apple Computer, Vignette, AMD, Intel, Motive Inc, Cirrus Logic, Samsung, National Instruments, United Devices and Sun Microsystems.
Colleges/Universities
Colleges and Universities in Austin include The University of Texas at Austin, Austin Community College, St. Edward’s University, ITT Technical Institute, and many more small colleges.
The University of Texas campus is situated just four blocks north of the Capitol Building.
Texas State University in San Marcos is 30 miles away.
Housing
Austin has an abundance of housing opportunities. Housing options include land for development, waterfront homes, town-homes, and condos. Also available are farm properties, commercial properties, single and multi-family homes.
The average home price in Austin is $218,000.
Historic Buildings
The Texas Capitol is an example of late 19th century architecture. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and designated a National Historic Landmark for its "significant contribution to American history." It is located at one of the highest points in Austin and has an incredible view of the Colorado River. Texas state law prohibits obstructed views of this marvelous building from points in the city.
Parks/Sports/Recreation/Golf
The Austin Zoo has animals from around the world to delight adults and kids alike. Come to see Babs and Bruno, the Black Bears, African Spurred Tortoises, grey foxes and many more – all in a beautiful park-like setting.
Austin calls itself “A City Within a Park”. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department oversees more than 208 parks, 14 preserves, and 25 greenbelts in all four areas of the city --- the northeast, northwest, town lake and south, with amenities for the whole family to enjoy including playground, trails, lakes and much more.
Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center provides healthy activities for all ages. The 17,500 square foot facility includes a gymnasium for basketball and volleyball, arts and crafts room, weight/exercise room, swimming pool, and outdoor ball courts.
Austin is home to many excellent golf courses including Austin Country Club, Balcones Country Club, Barton Creek Country Club, Falconhead Golf Club, Great Hills, Hancock Park, The Hills, Jimmy Clay Golf Course, Lions Municipal Golf Course, Morris Williams Golf Course and many more.
The professional sports teams in Austin include the Austin Ice Bats of the Central Hockey League and the Austin Wranglers of the Arena Football League.
In 2005, the National Basketball Association awarded an NBDL team to the city of Austin. The team will be called the Austin Toros.
Special Attractions/Events
Austin is a city of festivals. Every month festivals take place in the city including the Austin Fine Arts Festival, Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo, Austin Film Festival, South by Southwest Festival, Austin City Limits Music Festival and many more.
Austin is home to many excellent museums including the Austin Museum of Art, the Elisabet Ney Museum, Carver Museum, O. Henry Museum, Austin Museum of Digital Art, The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, The Harry Ransom Center, the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, and Austin Children’s Museum.
Interesting Facts
Austin, founded in 1839, was first named Waterloo. In 1838, Mirabeau B. Lamar renamed the city in honor of Stephen F. Austin.
Residents of Austin are called "Austinites".
Austin is the self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World”.
Famous Austin residents include Lance Armstrong, Sandra Bullock , Matthew McConaughey, and Willie Nelson. Former residents include Lyndon B. Johnson and George W. Bush, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Janis Joplin.
Austin has been the location of a number of movies, including Man of the House, Secondhand Lions, Waking Life, Spy Kids, Dazed and Confused, Office Space, The Life of David Gale, Miss Congeniality, and Slacker. MTV taped an Austin season of its hit reality television series The Real World in 2005.
The Texas armadillo is about the size of a large cat. Armadillo racing became a popular amusement in Texas during the 1970s. In 1981 the armadillo was declared the official Texas State mascot by executive decree.
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