About Austin, Texas
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Maps of Austin
Redevelopment of Robert Mueller Municipal Airport (RMMA)
Austin is the capital of Texas, the fourth most populous city in Texas. With more than one million people, the Austin metropolitan area serves as a center for academic, political, research and technological activities. The University of Texas at Austin (UT) and its 52,000 students influence the character of the community toward education and achievement.
At a Glance...
#1 Best Cities for Singles …Forbes
#1 Worlds Sexiest, Inexpensive Cities …Playboy
#2 Best Relocating Families …World Wide Relocation
#2 Best Hiking Trail “Barton Creek Greenbelt” …www.americanhiking.org
#3 Best Housing Market to Invest …Meyers Group
#3 Best Place to Live …Forbes
#3 Best Place for Business & Careers …Forbes
#4 Best City for Moviemakers …Movie Maker Magazine
#5 Top Running City …www.runnersworld.com
#8 Top 50 Cleanest Cities …Reader’s Digest
13 Austin High Schools Ranked top list of 1000 …Newsweek’s
Location
Austin is located in Central Texas along the Colorado River. Highways serving Austin include Interstate 35, U.S. Highway 183, Loop 1 (Mopac), Capital of Texas Highway(360) and Texas Highway 71/290 with the addition of two new Highways coming soon, SH45 and SH130. Altitude ranges from 425 feet at lakeside to 1,000 feet in the northwest hills.
Area
The Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) consists of Travis, Hays, Williamson, Bastrop and Caldwell counties. Land area: City of Austin, 253 square miles; Austin MSA, 4,249 square miles.
Climate
Austin has a temperate climate, with 300 days of sunshine annually. Average temperatures range from 42° - 62° in the winter and 75° - 95° in the summer. Average annual rainfall is 32.1 inches.
Population
With a population of 1,402,000, Austin ranks 4th largest city in the state and the 16th most populous city in the nation. The current population of Austin included 52.9 percent Caucasian, 30.5 percent Hispanic, 9.8 percent African American and 4.7 percent Asian and 2.1 percent other.
History
Founded in 1839, Austin was chosen as the capital of the Republic of Texas because of its central location, fresh water, natural beauty and the proximity of limestone and timber. Austin was named for Stephen F. Austin, a colonizer of the area. Lyndon Baines Johnson, 36th U.S. President, was born in Texas Hill Country and represented the 10th Congressional District in Congress. Austin has seven historic districts and 210 Historic structures, including the Capital and the Governor’s Mansion.
Arts, Music, Entertainment and Recreation
Austin ranks first in Texas and sixth in the U.S. in the number of artists and musicians per capital. Recognized as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin has spawned a multitude of Grammy winning performers. PBS’s “Austin City Limits” is viewed by as many as five million people weekly worldwide. Among Austin’s cultural offerings:
| Art Galleries (35) | Lyndon B. Johnson Library |
| Austin Children’s Museum | Manor Downs |
| Austin Lyric Opera | Moonlight Towers |
| Austin Museum of Art | Mount Bonnell |
| Austin Symphony Orchestra | Museo del Barrio de Austin |
| Austin Zoo | National Wildflower Research Center |
| Ballet Austin | Natural Science Center |
| Botanical Gardens | Neill Cochran House |
| Discovery Hall | O’Henry Home |
| Elisabet Ney Sculpture Museum | Paramount Theatre |
| French Legation | Private Theatre (10) |
| George Washington Carver Museum | Texas Memorial Museum |
| Hamilton Pool | UT Preforming Arts Complex |
| Harry Ransom Center | Umlauf Sculpture Garden |
| Hill County Flyer | Veloway |
| Historic Sixth Street | Westcave Preserve |
| Huntington Art Gallery | Zachary Scott Theatre |
| Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farm | Zilker Park |
Recreational Highlights
• 150 miles of Highland Lakes, winding through the Texas Hill Country into Austin Town Lake in downtown Austin
• 351 acres in Zilker Downtown Park
• 174 parks and playgrounds, including a state park
• 16,000 acres of dedicated park land
• 18 golf courses, six municipal and 12 private
• 156 public tennis courts
• 28 miles of hike-n-bike trails
Education
Austin is the most highly educated U.S. city with a population of more than 250,000, with 35 percent of adults having 10 or more years of schooling. One in nine adults is currently enrolled in an Austin area college or university.
Public Schools in and around the Austin area include:
| Austin ISD (512) 414-1700 | Round Rock ISD (512) 464-5000 |
| Eanes ISD (512) 329-3626 | Lake Travis ISD (512) 533-6000 |
| Georgetown ISD (512) 863-6595 | Leander ISD (512) 434-5000 |
| Hays ISD (512) 268-2141 |
University of Texas
The University of Texas at Austin is a leading institution of research and higher education, and the third largest state university in the U.S.
The Top 10 Employers
| 1. State of Texas | 67,600 employees |
| 2. University of Texas at Austin | 21,000 employees |
| 3. Dell Computers | 16,500 employees |
| 4. Austin Independent School District | 10,714 employees |
| 5. U.S. Government | 10,200 employees |
| 6. City of Austin | 10,000 employees |
| 7. Freescale Semiconductor | 6,600 employees |
| 8. Seton Healthcare | 6,393 employees |
| 9. IBM Corporation | 6,200 employees |
| 10. Texas State University | 5,103 employees |
Taxes
Texas has no corporate or personal income tax, state or local. Retail sales tax in Austin is 8.25 percent. Property tax rates fluctuate yearly and vary according to residence location. For more information call the Tax Assessor-Collector in Travis County 512.473.9473, Williamson County 512.943.1603, Hays County 512.393.5545, Bastrop County 512.581.7161
Austin - Round Rock demographics and News
Austin homes sales continue to rise.doc