Austin Texas Not Worth Moving To!

by Jeremy Knight

Austin just dropped from the number one spot to move to! We are now NUMBER 40 on best places to live in the US according to the US News who releases this list annually. That’s a massive drop in favor in just one year! I want to explore why Austin fell so hard from grace. The overall scores are based on these factors- overall desirability, value, job market, quality of life and net migration. Surprisingly, our affordability is the median in comparison to the other cities on the list. We also have a LOT of inventory.

Here's the information on desirability of Austin, Texas:

Despite being ranked 40th, Austin still holds its position as the most desirable city in Texas, outperforming other major cities like Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston.
Austin's overall score for desirability has decreased, impacting its ranking. The city's scores are as follows:
- Desirability: 6.5
- Value: 6.0
- Job Market: 6.5
- Quality of Life: 6.6
- Net Migration: 7.3
Austin is still in demand and receives inquiries from potential home buyers and sellers, the actual closed sales have fallen, indicating a disparity between perception and reality.
One factor affecting desirability is affordability. Rising home prices, with the median home price in Austin being around $550,000, have eroded the perception of affordability in the city.
A Gallup poll reveals that one in five U.S. adults believe it's a bad time to buy a home, primarily due to unaffordable prices and rising interest rates.
Builders in Austin are struggling to construct affordable homes under $500,000 due to rising construction costs. This has led to smaller home sizes in new constructions to meet the affordability threshold.
Despite these challenges, Austin offers outdoor spaces, a unique lifestyle, and a desirable location, but concerns over affordability and changing city dynamics have impacted its desirability ranking.