Relocating to Austin, Texas
So You're Relocating to Austin
If you're relocating to Austin, you're one of many people who has made the decision to move to the place that has a reputation for being the best city in Texas. In fact, Austin typically gets high rankings in magazines that publish lists of the best places in America to live, date, work and have fun. And it's no wonder: The city of Austin has a ton to offer, from outdoor activities to shopping to great school districts. With so many wonderful things to enjoy, it won't take long to feel at home here. But to make the transition as smooth as possible, be sure to follow the Austin Moving Checklist.
Know the Weather in Austin
It's important to know the weather in Austin before you move, especially if you're coming from far away. You may have heard people mention tornadoes, hot summers and terrible allergy seasons. While most of these statements were probably exaggerated, there is some truth to them. Tornadoes are definitely possible, but they rarely touch down in Austin. Storms with high winds and heavy rain occur much more frequently than tornadoes. It's always a good idea to be prepared for this kind of severe weather. As for hot weather, most Austinites complain of high humidity and triple-digit temperatures during the summer, typically in June, July and August. Staying cool and hydrated during this time is very important, and you can keep yourself and your family safe by wearing sunscreen and drinking plenty of water.
Setting Up Utilities In Your New Austin Home
Setting up utilities in your new Austin home is something you'll want to take care of before you actually move in. Calling a few weeks before your move is a great way to ensure that when you get to your new Austin home, you'll have working electricity and hot water. You'll first want to see which utilities your residence requires. If you're renting an apartment, the complex will sometimes pay for water, trash or another utility. Also, some residences may require a gas hook-up, while others just require electricity. Once you figure that out, call the providers to set up service. If you do need gas, you'll want to contact Texas Gas Service. For electricity, contact Austin Energy. Depending on where you live, you might also be able to get service through Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, Pedernales Electric Cooperative or TXU Electric. Trash and water can be set up through the City of Austin. Once you have the essentials worked out, you can decide if you'd like to set up phone, Internet and cable.
Cost of Living in Austin
The cost of living in Austin is relatively low compared to other large cities in America, even though the city isn't as cheap to live in as it was about ten years ago. The price of houses in Austin are comparable to many other large cities in Texas, like Fort Worth, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston. The median cost of homes in Austin in 2005 was $161,300. If you are not interested in owning a home in Austin, there's always the option of renting an apartment. In 2005, the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment was $622, while the rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $804.
To pay for housing, you'll of course need a source of income. So what is the average household income for Austin? In 2004, it was $64,578. In 2005, the median household income in Austin was $67,300. Compared to some other cities in the United States, a dollar definitely goes further in Austin than it does in a city like Los Angeles or Boston where the cost of living is tremendously higher.
Parks and Lakes in Austin
You'll definitely want to check out the parks and lakes in Austin. If you're into boating, fishing, swimming, wakeboarding, Frisbee, jogging or any other outdoor activity, Austin has a ton of parks, lakes and recreational areas at which to do these activities. If you've been to downtown Austin, you've surely seen the body of water just south of the downtown area: Town Lake. At Town Lake, you can walk, jog or bike along the trails, take your dog for a swim or people watch. Town Lake is one of the many destinations in Austin to enjoy the outdoors.
Another great Austin park is Zilker Park, a 358-acre recreational area. Zilker Park offers many of the same activities found at Town Lake: Jogging, biking, hiking and sports. You can join a pick-up game at Zilker, where locals could be playing anything from disc golf to football to soccer. Zilker Park is also home to Barton Springs Pool, a popular place to swim. Austin residents swim at Barton Springs year round, since the water stays an average temperature of 68 degrees.
Museums and the Arts in Austin
Museums and the arts are everywhere in Austin, for those who would like to spend time walking through a museum, listening to a concert or watching a play or musical. If you'd like to see museums in Austin, there are many to choose from. The Austin Children's Museum is, of course, an ideal museum to bring the kids. The same goes for The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Located just a block south of the University of Texas, stopping by the Bob Bullock Museum to see an IMAX movie and learn about Texas and Austin history is fun for the whole family. Plus, its location is perfect for planning a day of sight-seeing: Just walk across the street to the Blanton Museum and then spend a few hours exploring the University of Texas at Austin campus.
As for music, Austin isn't called "The Live Music Capital of the World" for nothing. On any night, there are tons of bands playing all over town, performing genres from bluegrass to jazz to rock 'n' roll. Even restaurants in Austin sometimes book local bands and singers to play during dinner. Large venues like the Frank Erwin Center, Stubb's, Bass Concert Hall and the Paramount Theater host big-name acts and artists throughout the year. It's guaranteed that whatever type of music you're in the mood for, someone is playing it tonight in Austin.
Besides music and museums, Austin also has a great theater scene. See a play or musical at the Zachary Scott Theater, Bass Concert Hall, the Paramount, the University of Texas at Austin or one of the many small venues around Austin.
Night Life in Austin
Night life in Austin is a huge part of the city. So big, in fact, that there's a whole street dedicated to it: Sixth Street. Sixth Street is lined with bars, dives, pubs and clubs, so it's a very popular evening destination—especially Thursday through Saturday nights. But on any night of the week, you'll find people of all ages—though mostly from the over 21 crowd—on Austin's Sixth Street. During the weekend, people even drive in from San Antonio, San Marcos and College Station to enjoy the Austin night life. Besides Sixth Street, Austin has other downtown areas to choose from if you're looking for something fun to do at night. There's the Warehouse District, which is home to a few pubs and upscale bars. There's also the 2nd Street District, an up-and-coming downtown area with restaurants and boutiques.
