What BestPlaces Users Say about Austin
Austin, Texas is a rapidly growing city known for its vibrant music scene, outdoor activities, and booming tech industry. With a diverse population and a thriving economy, many people are flocking to this city to live and work. However, as with any place, there are both positive and negative aspects to living in Austin. In order to better understand the experiences of those who have lived in this city, I have gathered a variety of user reviews from BestPlaces.net.
According to user reviews on BestPlaces.net, there are many positive aspects to living in Austin. One user, Grace, shares that "Austin has a great sense of community and a friendly atmosphere. People are generally laid back and open-minded, making it easy to make new friends." Another user, John, praises the city's job market, stating that "Austin offers a wide range of job opportunities, especially in the tech industry. I was able to find a job in my field within a few weeks of moving here." Additionally, user Lily highlights the city's vibrant culture, saying that "there is always something fun to do in Austin, whether it's attending a music festival, trying out a new restaurant, or exploring the city's beautiful parks."
On the other hand, there are also some negative aspects mentioned by users about living in Austin. One user, Mike, expresses his frustration with the city's traffic, stating that "the traffic in Austin is a nightmare, especially during rush hour. It can be stressful and time-consuming to get around." Another user, Samantha, mentions the high cost of living in Austin, saying that "rent prices and property taxes are constantly on the rise, making it difficult for some people to afford to live here." User David brings up an important issue, stating that "while Austin is a diverse city, there are also issues with gentrification and displacement of longtime residents in certain areas."
In conclusion, many user reviews on BestPlaces.net highlight the positive aspects of living in Austin, such as its sense of community, job opportunities, and vibrant culture. However, there are also some challenges and drawbacks mentioned, such as traffic, cost of living, and issues with gentrification. Overall, these user reviews provide valuable insights for anyone considering a move to Austin, allowing them to weigh the pros and cons and make an informed decision for themselves.
based on 449 ReviewsGet to know Austin with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Austin
Objective as possible - 8/31/2009
I've lived here for 11 years, hope this helps: Austin's economy is supported mainly by high-tech companies, the U. of Texas and the State Capitol. If you're in high-tech, some serious money can be made here. There is a high quality of life, mostly on the west side and if you can afford it. You can do outdoor activities almost all year long due to the warm and sunny weather. Hiking, bike trails galore, a fantastic city park system, LOCAL restaurants abound, and a great nightlife downtown. With that being said, the joke is "once you're over 30 there's nothing to do in Austin." An exaggeration yes, but lots of truth to that. It is a COLLEGE TOWN, even though the population of greater Austin area is 900,000. If you're under 35 yrs. the singles scene is fantastic.
Traffic all over the Austin area is heavy. Central Austin does not have the streets and thoroughfare's to handle the influx of population this town has seen in the last 15 yrs. As far as I can tell, there is no way
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Hot HOt HOT - 8/2/2009
Not sure what to say about the weather its usually hot but this year we had weeks and weeks of 100+ degree weather and not a single drop of rain. I leave work at around 5:30 and the temperature would still show 106- 110 degrees... miserable. Weekends you can't really take the kids outdoors, playground to hot to slide climb etc.. the pool sounds like a good idea anytime unless you are concerned about skin cancer which i am so i find myself indoors most of the time or having to pay for indoor activities, movies, inflatable playground, zoo(terrible one which is amazing to me) winters are not to cold a bit of ice 2 or 3 times and thats
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Not my favorite place, but it's got it's charms. - 7/2/2009
Austin has changed a lot in the past 10 years. One of the more progressive cities in Texas, that being said it is STILL in Texas. Remember that if you are from up north. It's got a lot of great outdoor spots like the hike and bike trail,hamilton pool close by, hippie hollow close by etc. The surrounding Hill Country is downright gorgeous certain times in the year, but beware if you have allergies! I never had allergies, but after 3 years of living there they finally kicked in with a vengence! With the influx of people, rent rates are definitely on the rise, but still more affordable than a lot of other u.s. cities. People from here seemed to me to fall into 2 categories: 1. Friendly,down to earth,laid back and generally lovely. 2. Ignorant rednecks serving up some serious douch baggery. Oh and lot's of people from LA that complain about how Austin isn't LA.(Thankfully it isn't)Not my first pick to live if you are a minority,have allergies or don't like to go outside, but otherwise
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Austin is changing RAPIDLY... building on & destro - 6/28/2009
Austin is like the rest of America. It's changing toooo fast. Hordes of people and developers are descending on Austin, attracted by its natural beauty, the unique lifestyle of a university town that is also the capitol of Texas, and the economic opportunities that are better here compared to the Rust Belt. Unfortunately, that which made Austin so special is getting hammered in the process -- not that unique niches don't exist, it's just that they're getting more expensive by the minute. Austin is a fabulous place to live if you're rich or comfortably upper middle class. It can be wonderful if you're single with no dependents. But if you're middle-middle class white with kids, it's kinda tough to find a safe, affordable niche with good schools -- at least not anywhere close to Austin proper; but that seems to be the case in most American cities these days, thanks to the overthrow of states' rights & majority rule by the Supreme Court. Sure, you can go live in the far-flung
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A little about Austin - 6/4/2009
I live in Austin - its wonderful... hilly for Texas, lakes, great downtown, Town Lake Trail and river right downtown... We have a new UT musuem - the Blanton, which is great... good variety of food as well.
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If you're a young, rich transplant... 'hipster hav - 5/19/2009
If not, get used to a two hour, yes I'll say it again: two hour bus ride (one way!)to get from one end of the vertical sprawl on IH-35 to downtown. The vast majority of people living here do not see the small, exclusive, and cultured parts of the city that Austin® is known for nationally.
And you're still in Texas so, seriously, any attempt to make Austin 'weird' or more than cosmetically liberal is thwarted by the hordes of frat boy rednecks that pour into the city for it's party atmosphere and couldn't care less about sustainability or community or any of that. Also loads of stalwart conservatives come for the money of cashing in on Austin's image.
My opinion.
Born and raised in Austin.
Still don't see the appeal.
Be aware also that Realtors pose as locals on ALL these types of boards to attract more business.
It's a fact that you'll need to get used
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Del Valle, TX. small town feel without the big cit - 5/13/2009
Del Valle is just 7 mi. away from downtown and 2-3 mi. from Austin-Bergstorm International Airport, living here is better than buying a house in Austin for $200k with like 1100 sq. ft.
Del Valle you can get more space for less, $140k for 2200 sq. ft. and more yardage for you garden or a big deck for that bbq party event.
DVISD - is a good school district that has improved alot, compared to 10 yrs. ago. Teachers and parents are making that possible.
SH-130 - Tollway is right here near by, making commute to north or south of Austin, quick and easy, with no traffic, no delays from accidents, 15 mintues
to Round-Rock, or Buda-Kyle.
Parks - Richard Moya park, Souteast metro park, McKinney State park are just 2 miles away, so you have plenty of time to enjoy the parks for Soccer, Volleyball, Softball or just hike and bike the trails.
Come see and found out how good this little small town with out the big city hassle is
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contemplating a move to austin- suggestions on whe - 5/3/2009
I am considering a move to austin and am hoping I could get some opinions about what neighborhoods are good to move to. I am a middle-class white guy and want to move to a section of the city that has affordable housing and is safe. what neighborhoods are good, and what neighborhoods should I avoid? all comments appreciated.
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Not what it's cracked up to be but not bad either - 5/1/2009
I've lived in Austin for the past two years, so this isn't a biased native perspective. I neither hate the city nor love it, but I do laugh at it frequently. I like to think of Austin as a fusion of "Big" Dallas and Southern California (there are a tremendous number of Cali transplants). Before I get into the negatives, here are the positives:
1. If you love music and dancing and bars and festivals out the whazoo, you're in for a treat. I will most definitely come back for SXSW in years to come.
2. It's a condensed city by most sprawly standards--if you choose the right local, you won't have drive much (especially if you're a student). This means more money to plunk down when you're shopping.
3. It's a very dog-friendly city--parks not withstanding. What I mean is you can bring your dog to many restaurants, coffee shops, even some retailers.
4. Housing is pretty cheap compared to the coasts
5. People go out of their way to be nice (although my
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Living in Austin - 4/12/2009
I find that Austin has lots to offer people that have prety good income to spend here. As a person that is limited on thier income or has an hourly pay it is very difficult to live other than pay check to pay check. I personally have had two realy major pay cuts due to the economy here and it sucks. I have bought a house and think it's time to move out of Austin for the reason I can't make a good living for my family
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