If you live in Austin, you’ve probably noticed it: the traffic’s worse, your favorite taco spot has a longer wait, and it feels like everyone you meet just moved here. It’s not your imagination!
We recently put together a 2025 Texas Migration Report looking at moving patterns across the state, and Austin stood out as one of the fastest-growing metros. We dug deeper and discovered that, based on our 2025 data, 154 people move to Austin every day from outside the metro area.
We decided to take an even more detailed look, so this report breaks down who’s moving to Austin, where they’re coming from, and why. We’ll also look at who’s leaving and what all this growth means for housing, jobs, and culture. Here’s the short version: Austin’s still a major draw, especially from other Texas cities. The growth brings opportunities but also changes the housing market and pressures infrastructure. If you’re planning a move yourself, you can compare trusted movers in Austin to find local help fast.
Austin Moving Statistics 2025: Inbound Migration
Austin’s growth numbers show a steady stream of people entering the city, whether they’re coming from across the country or just across Texas. But the movement isn’t one-directional. People are also relocating within Austin itself, shifting from one neighborhood to another as the city evolves.
How Many People Move to Austin?
Austin ranks as the third most popular moving destination in Texas, trailing only Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. That might surprise some people who think of Austin as the state’s growth champion, but the data tells a more nuanced story. While Austin attracts fewer total new residents than the two largest metros, its growth relative to its size is substantial.
Looking at the data more closely, 56,466 people moved to Austin from outside the metro area in the past year. Break that down and you’re looking at about 4,705 new residents every month, or 154 people every single day. That’s roughly a packed commercial flight landing in Austin daily, with everyone on board planning to stay.
But here’s what makes Austin’s growth story even more interesting: there’s a ton of movement happening inside the city limits. Another 129,643 people moved from one part of Austin to another during the same period. That’s 10,803 people relocating within the metro each month, or 355 per day. These aren’t people leaving Austin, they’re already here and they’re reshuffling, often moving further out as neighborhoods closer to downtown get more expensive or searching for specific amenities in different parts of the city.
Put those two numbers together and you get a picture of constant motion. Austin isn’t just growing from the outside. It’s also churning on the inside as longtime residents adjust to rising costs, changing neighborhoods, and evolving priorities.
Top Texas Cities People are Leaving for Austin
So where are all these new Austinites coming from? Most of them aren’t coming from out of state. They’re leaving other Texas cities. Here are the top three:
- Houston sends more people to Austin than anywhere else — 4,666 new residents in the past year, accounting for nearly 24% of all in-state moves to Austin. That makes sense when you consider Houston’s size and the fact that plenty of people want Texas opportunities without quite as much humidity or sprawl.
- Dallas-Fort Worth is a close second, with 4,293 people making the move south, or 22% of Austin’s in-state arrivals. For a lot of folks in DFW, Austin offers a smaller, more walkable city feel while still having strong job prospects, especially in tech.
- San Antonio comes in third, contributing 3,517 new residents, which is just under 18% of the total. Given how close San Antonio is to Austin geographically, this migration often comes down to job opportunities or lifestyle preferences. The two cities have different vibes, and people tend to have strong opinions about which one suits them better.
The runners up are Killeen-Temple, with 1,757 new residents (about 9%), and Corpus Christi, with 516 (roughly 3%). Killeen’s numbers likely reflect military families relocating after being stationed at Fort Hood, while Corpus Christi represents a smaller but steady trickle of people leaving the coast for more job options inland.
What stands out here is how much of Austin’s growth is driven by Texans who already know the state. They’re not taking a leap into the unknown or a new state. Instead, they’re making calculated moves within Texas, often trading one set of trade-offs for another.
Austin Moving Statistics 2025: Outbound Migration
Austin’s growth story gets a lot of attention, but plenty of people are also leaving. Understanding who’s moving out and where they’re going gives you a fuller picture of what’s actually happening in the city.
How Many People Move Away from Austin?
While Austin ranks third in Texas for inbound moves, it also holds the same spot for outbound migration, and that symmetry isn’t a coincidence. Fast-growing cities naturally see more movement in both directions. People arrive with high expectations, and when those expectations don’t match reality, they leave.
40,605 people left Austin in the past year, which works out to about 3,383 people per month, or 111 every day. Compare that to the 154 people moving to Austin daily from outside the metro, and you’ve still got net growth, but it’s not as dramatic as the headlines might suggest.
But where are these people going? Of those 40,605 departures, 17,175 stayed in Texas. In other words, they left Austin but not the state. The remaining 23,430 left Texas entirely. That’s a roughly 40-60 split between in-state and out-of-state moves.
“…[Then] there’s the big benefit [of living in Austin]: no state income tax…A $100,000 salary in Austin goes a lot further than the same salary in San Francisco, even after you account for Austin’s rising costs.
Why does that matter? The people staying in Texas are often chasing lower costs or different lifestyle options while keeping the benefits of no state income tax and a familiar regulatory environment. The ones leaving Texas altogether, on the other hand, are usually going for reasons Austin can’t fix, like family obligations, specific job opportunities elsewhere, or just deciding that Texas in general isn’t for them anymore.
It’s also worth noting that these outbound numbers don’t include the 129,643 people who moved within Austin during the same period. Those folks aren’t captured in the departure stats because they’re still here. They’re just living in a different neighborhood, often pushed out to the suburbs by rising costs closer to downtown.
Top Texas Cities People Go to When They Leave Austin
When Austinites decide to leave but stay in Texas, they’re not scattering randomly. They’re going to specific places, and the pattern says something about what they’re looking for.
- Dallas-Fort Worth takes the top spot, pulling in 3,786 people who left Austin. For many, DFW offers better job prospects in industries like finance, healthcare, and logistics that aren’t as strong in Austin. The trade-off is giving up Austin’s culture and walkability for a bigger, more sprawling metro.
- San Antonio comes in second with 3,540 newcomers. Given that San Antonio is only about 80 miles south, this migration often comes down to cost. Housing in San Antonio is significantly cheaper, and for people priced out of Austin who still want to stay in Central Texas, it’s the logical move.
- Houston ranks third, attracting 2,908 former Austinites. Houston’s economy is more diverse than Austin’s, with major sectors in energy, medical, and international trade. For people whose careers don’t align with Austin’s tech focus, Houston offers more options.
Killeen-Temple is fourth again with 1,653 new residents, many of whom likely have military connections to Fort Hood. And Corpus Christi rounds out the top five with 223 people heading to the coast, probably looking for a slower pace and beach access.
What’s interesting is how these destinations mirror the top origins. Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio dominate both lists. People move between these cities fluidly, responding to job changes, cost pressures, and lifestyle shifts. Austin isn’t a permanent destination for everyone.
Why Are People Moving to Austin?
People move to Austin for all kinds of reasons, but the most common ones boil down to jobs, money, and lifestyle, usually in that order.
The tech boom is real
Austin earned the nickname “Silicon Hills” for a reason. Major tech companies like Tesla, Oracle, and Apple have established significant operations here, and startups are launching constantly. If you work in software, engineering, or anything tech-adjacent, Austin has opportunities that didn’t exist here 15 years ago. Healthcare, education, and creative industries are all growing too, but tech is the main engine driving Austin’s economy right now, and it’s pulling in workers from all over the country.
Texas’s business climate sweetens the deal
The state makes it easy for companies to set up shop and grow. Lighter regulations, business-friendly policies, and a large, educated workforce attract employers, which in turn attracts workers. And then there’s the big benefit: no state income tax. For someone moving from California or New York, that difference in take-home pay is substantial. A $100,000 salary in Austin goes a lot further than the same salary in San Francisco, even after you account for Austin’s rising costs.
Housing is still more affordable than coastal metros
This one comes with a caveat, because Austin’s housing market has gotten significantly more expensive over the past few years. But compared to places like the Bay Area, Los Angeles, or New York City, you can still find a house or apartment without completely emptying your savings. A median home in Austin costs less than half what you’d pay in San Francisco. That gap is narrowing, and longtime Austinites will tell you affordability isn’t what it used to be, but for people moving from the coasts, it still feels like a deal.
The culture matters
Austin didn’t grow this fast just because of spreadsheets and tax policy. The city has an identity that people want to be part of. Live music seven nights a week, food trucks that are better than most sit-down restaurants, and easy access to hiking, kayaking, and swimming holes are all some of the perks of living in Austin. Plus, a creative, independent streak that shows up in everything from local businesses to weird public art. For a lot of people, especially younger workers, that cultural component is a huge part of the appeal.
All of these factors feed into each other. Jobs bring people, which brings more businesses, which increases housing demand, which changes the culture, which attracts a different wave of people. Austin’s growth can’t be attributed to a single factor, and is instead more like a feedback loop that’s been accelerating for years. If you’re still deciding whether Austin’s lifestyle fits you, our upcoming guide, Should You Move to Austin, breaks down neighborhoods, cost of living, and what to expect day to day.
The Impacts and Consequences of Migration to Austin
Growth sounds exciting when you look at the numbers. More jobs, more businesses, more opportunity. But when a city grows this fast, things get complicated. Austin’s housing market, job situation, and culture are all changing, and those changes affect people differently depending on where they’re starting from.
Housing and Real Estate
If you want to understand what rapid growth does to a city, just look at housing prices. Austin’s been all over the place in the past five years.
Austin home values peaked at $657,440 in June 2022, according to Zillow. Since then, they’ve dropped to $505,444 as of June 2025. That sounds like good news if you’re trying to buy a house, but that’s not the whole story. Back in January 2020, before the pandemic kicked Austin’s growth into overdrive, the median home value was $390,926. Even after the recent cooldown, prices are still about 30% higher than they were five years ago.
If you bought a house in Austin before all this happened, your property value probably went up a lot. Great for your net worth, but less great if you’re trying to afford the property tax bill that comes with it. If you’re renting and hoping to buy someday, these prices are discouraging. And if you’re a longtime homeowner on a fixed income, those rising property taxes have forced some people out of homes they’ve lived in for decades. Also, if you’re budgeting for a move, check out our average cost of movers in Austin to see what local residents typically pay in 2025.
“56,466 people moved to Austin from outside the metro area in the past year. Break that down and you’re looking at about 4,705 new residents every month, or 154 people every single day.”
The big jump happened during the pandemic when remote work made it possible for people to move wherever they wanted while keeping their high-paying jobs. Now that more companies are calling people back to offices and the initial rush has worn off, prices are stabilizing. But “coming down” doesn’t mean affordable. Austin’s still one of the pricier cities in Texas.
Job Market
Austin’s job market has kept pace with all the new people moving in. Wages have gone up too, especially in certain fields.
Travis County’s median household income was $97,544 in 2023. Back in 2013, it was $60,372. That’s a 61% jump in ten years. Compare that to the rest of Texas, where median income went from $67,100 to $81,110 during the same time. Austin’s doing well by that measure.
But those big numbers don’t show that a lot of the people earning those higher salaries are newcomers working in tech. Teachers, service workers, and people who’ve been in Austin for years haven’t seen their paychecks grow nearly as fast as their rent or grocery bills.
Major tech companies have been setting up shop in Austin, bringing thousands of high-paying jobs with them. Tesla built a massive factory, for example, Oracle also moved its headquarters, and Apple expanded its operations significantly. All of that creates opportunities, but mostly for people with certain skills and degrees. If you’re not in one of those fields, it’s harder to keep up. Austin’s becoming a place where some people thrive while others get squeezed out.
Social and Cultural Impact
Austin got its identity from being weird, creative, and different. The whole appeal was built on live music, local businesses, and funky neighborhoods. But growth changes cities.
Neighborhood Change and Cultural Shifts
East Austin is now one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the country. Property values in some areas have jumped nearly 150% in just five years. With that comes some demographic changes.
Austin’s Black population has also been declining even as the city grows rapidly, with many residents moving to surrounding suburbs. Less than 10% of Austin’s population is Black now, and that number keeps dropping. Property taxes in parts of East Austin doubled between 2006 and 2015, making it impossible for many longtime homeowners to stay, and what used to be predominantly Black and Latinx neighborhoods have transformed completely.
According to research from the University of Texas, 16 neighborhoods are actively gentrifying, with another 23 at risk. People who grew up here talk about not recognizing their old neighborhoods anymore as familiar businesses are gone, and neighbors have moved away.
Reforms and Protections
Community organizers are pushing for protections as new density rules allow developers to build three homes where one used to stand. Without affordability requirements, they worry longtime residents will be forced out by rising costs.
Austin passed housing reforms in 2024 to increase density and affordability, but opinions split on whether these will help or make displacement worse. Traffic hasn’t kept up either. Austin’s roads weren’t built for this many people. Before moving day, it’s worth checking whether you’ll need a parking permit for moving in Austin to avoid tickets or towing downtown.
Final Thoughts
Austin’s growth story is still unfolding. More than 56,000 people move here every year, drawn by jobs, culture, and the promise of a better life. Even with more than 40,000 leaving annually, the city continues to grow and evolve. Housing remains tight, wages are rising, and Austin’s identity keeps shifting as new people arrive with fresh ideas. Change can be hard, but it also keeps the city vibrant. If Austin can balance affordability, opportunity, and that creative spark it’s known for, its next chapter could be the most exciting one yet.
Methodology
To examine Texas migration patterns, we analyzed PGM’s proprietary database of 18,000,000 national moves recorded between June 2024 and May 2025. Each move in this dataset represents an actual relocation, providing a uniquely current perspective on mobility trends.
Our analysis focused on:
- Origins and destinations of moves,
- Intrastate versus interstate flows, and
- Demographic characteristics of people who are moving.
Unlike many studies that rely on outdated U.S. Census Bureau releases or modeled estimates from relocation calculators, this dataset reflects real moves as they occurred.
As such, it represents one of the most up-to-date and reliable sources of migration data available in the United States in 2025.
In Partnership With PGM
This migration report used in-depth consumer insights from data provider PGM, part of the Porch Group of companies. PGM’s robust audience data helps businesses reach customers strategically.