BestCityFor

Best city for retirement? Austin, TX

D
Score
46/100
Rank #155 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

For retirement, Austin is a specialized pick when you value typical home value alongside typical rent (2br). Overall, it’s not a top-ranked option in this set (#155 of 200), so fit matters. The biggest tradeoff is age 65+ share.

Methodology · Sources · TX rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. Popular retirement destinations can look very different at the metro level.

Why Austin ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,776/mo (23% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Typical home value: $512,700 (47% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Median household income: $91,461 (21% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Age 65+ share: 10% (26% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 11% (3% lower than the national median; better for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
967,862
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 51%Female 49%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,776/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Typical home value
$512,700
National median: $347,900
Age 65+ share
10%
National median: 14%
Median age
35
National median: —
Median household income
$91,461
National median: $75,598
Broadband subscription
93%
National median: 91%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and typical home value.
47/100
Retiree Signals
Age mix and income as broad service proxies.
34/100
Connectivity
Broadband access for everyday logistics.
93/100
Comfort
Climate comfort and commute friction.
89/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

8%
Less than HS
33%
HS / Some college
36%
Bachelor’s
22%
Advanced

Age mix

Share of residents age 65+ (ACS).

10%
Age 65+
90%
Under 65

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

93%
Broadband
7%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,776/mo
Typical home value
National median $347,900
$512,700
Age 65+ share
National median 14%
10%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$91,461
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
93%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
11%

Similar cities (by score)

#153 Lancaster, CA
47/100
#154 Thornton, CO
46/100
#156 Fontana, CA
46/100
#157 Elizabeth, NJ
45/100

FAQ

›What is Austin’s retirement score and rank?
Austin, TX scores D (46/100) and ranks #155 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on Austin city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level retirement patterns can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of Austin, TX?
Population is about 967,862 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in Austin, TX?
About 51% male and 49% female (ACS 2023).
›How affordable is housing in Austin, TX?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,776/mo (national median: $1,441/mo). Typical home value is $512,700 (national median: $347,900).
›What share of residents are 65+ in Austin, TX?
Age 65+ share is 10% (national median: 14%).
›How common is broadband internet in Austin, TX?
Broadband subscription is 93% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in Austin, TX?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 8%, HS/some college 33%, bachelor’s 36%, advanced 22%.
›Where does this data come from for Austin, TX?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (healthcare access, neighborhoods, taxes, climate preferences, support network).