Austin vs Houston
Austin, Texas versus Houston, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Austin edges out Houston on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Austin | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $87k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $48k |
| Home Value | $462k | $235k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.59% | 1.60% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.20% | 8.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.16% | 8.93% |
| Unemployment | 4.4% | 6.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 52°F | 54°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 85°F | 85°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.3 in | 54.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 192 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 73°F |
| Comfortable Days | 103 days | 119 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 46.3 | 65.3 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 47.6 |
| Violent Crime | 2055/100k | 3120/100k |
| Property Crime | 3608/100k | 4611/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 958,202 | 2,296,253 |
| Median Age | 34.2 | 33.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.57 | 0.74 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | D+13 |
| White (%) | 47.7% | 23.6% |
| Black (%) | 7.5% | 22.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 32.5% | 44.8% |
| Asian (%) | 8.3% | 6.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 2.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 17.1/20 | 13.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 13 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.8% | 87.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 14.42 | 2.04 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Austin or Houston more affordable?
- Houston has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Austin's $57k and Houston's $48k. Median rent is $2k in Austin versus $1k in Houston.
- Is Austin or Houston safer?
- Austin has the lower violent crime rate. Austin reports 2055/100k and Houston reports 3120/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Austin or Houston?
- The median home value is $462k in Austin and $235k in Houston, so homes are more affordable in Houston.