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Energetic and Slightly Offbeat,
Austin, Texas Offers Retirees a Warm Climate, an Eclectic
Cultural Scene and a Lush Riverside Locale on the Edges of the Texas
Hill Country
Cost of Living: Slightly Above the National Average
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Nestled along the Colorado River on the
eastern edge of the Texas Hill Country, vibrant Austin
(population 768,000 with 1.5 million in the metro area),
the capital of Texas and home to the flagship campus of
the University of Texas, is a big city that impresses people with its slightly
quirky country charm. From its days as
an isolated settlement when the area was still a part of
Mexico to its current state as an education and
technology hub, Austin has attracted an eclectic crowd.
It is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the
nation and has the
5th most educated population in the nation (45% of
citizens have at least a 4-year college degree).
The population is younger than in many cities of similar
size, with 25% of residents age 45 or better, but Austin offers natural beauty, a
smorgasbord of events and festivals, an average crime
rate, Texas hospitality
and a rich quality of life for residents of all ages.
The cost-of-living is roughly 2% above the national
average, but considering everything it offers, Austin is a bit
of a bargain.
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This metropolis has
been one of the least-affected cities during
recent economic downturn, and residential properties have
held their value relatively well throughout the
housing crisis, with prices even rising in some
neighborhoods. The current median home
price is roughly $198,000, above the national
median, but as in most cities, location means
everything. Austin has a number of
distinctive neighborhoods, and generally, those
in the western areas of the city have the most
expensive homes, primarily because many
dwellings are situated in the dramatic beauty of
the Texas Hill Country and are custom built.
Areas north, east and south are more affordable
because the land is flat and dotted with
subdivisions. Sections closer to
downtown and near the University of Texas have
both very expensive homes and less expensive
ones. In short, Austin has a wide variety
of housing, from one bedroom condominiums and
bi-level single family homes to custom
waterfront "mcmansions" and
master-planned, gated developments (including
lovely Steiner Ranch overlooking Lake Austin).
Apartment complexes are plentiful, and rents average
$650 per month for a one bedroom unit to about $850 for a two bedroom
unit. Less expensive units are certainly available, as are more
expensive ones. There are no 55+ real estate communities
within city limits, but 55+ Sun City of Texas is in Georgetown, just
north of Austin, and has new homes from $139,990.
Texas is considered friendly toward retirees when it comes to
taxes. There is no state income tax, so all forms of retirement
income escape taxation, and there is no inheritance or estate tax.
Homeowners receive a $15,000 homestead exemption from property taxes, and
people age 65 or better receive an additional $10,000 exemption from school
taxes (and $3,000 from other taxes). Still, property taxes are on the
high side. For example, the annual taxes on a $198,000 home are
approximately $3,265. And the state imposes a 6.25% sales tax (food and
prescription drugs are exempt).
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Austin frequently lands on lists of the best places
to live. It is growing, 17% in the last decade, and citizens
lean to the left politically, something not often found in Texas.
This liberalism is due in large part to the influence of the
University, which is in the heart of the city and has 50,000 students
(and a beautiful campus). The city is pet friendly (named by
Dog Fancy Magazine as a great place to be a dog) and gay
friendly, and Austinites, as the locals call themselves, consider themselves and their pretty city a bit unconventional and
offbeat, although four Fortune 500 companies (including Whole Food
Markets and Dell) have their headquarters here. Corporations
such as IBM, Apple and Google are also here, and the unemployment rate
continues to be below the national average.
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The cultural scene, from art to theater to music, is
energetic and eclectic. Numerous neighborhood theaters,
including the Vortex Repertory Company and Salvage Vanguard Theater,
present an entertaining and innovative season each year.
The fun Austin Museum of Art has two locations and is home to
"informal experiences with art," showcasing 20th-century and
contemporary art, and smaller art galleries of various persuasions are
sprinkled throughout the city. The
beautiful George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center offers
workshops, guest speakers and classes.
Art City Austin promotes a number of events, all designed to enlighten
the public about the visual arts.
Austin's music landscape is nationally known as one
of the best in the country and 120 live music venues ensure that there is
always a place to catch a hot act, particularly a country music act.
The Austin Chamber Music Center has a full season of concerts
and interacts with the community through workshops and seminars.
The annual Zilker Park Summer Musical features live bands.
Ballet Austin, Austin Lyric Opera and the Austin Symphony all add to
the city's rich cultural tapestry.
This is an
interactive map. Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and click on the +/- signs
(more than once if necessary) to zoom in
and out.
Austin is known, too, for its abundance of excellent
restaurants, especially ones serving delicious Mexican
cuisine. Many can be found along 6th Street and 2nd Street
(where the PBS series "Austin City Limits" used to be produced),
both well traveled as they offer a rich ensemble of eateries and
shops. Downtown is healthy, benefiting from an influx of
new boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores and other
retailers. At night, it is lit by "artificial
moonlight", 165-ft. tall light towers that are now historical
landmarks.
In the center of it all, Lady Bird Lake
(actually a reservoir) is a major recreation venue, adding a bit of
tranquility to the heart of this major American city.
Non-motorized boats are for lease, and there are walking trails all
around the lake. During the summer, 1.5 million bats make
their home under a bridge that spans the lake, and each evening people
line the bridge and the lake shore to watch the bats zoom out in their
nightly hunt for insects. Next to the lake is Zilker
Park, Austin's largest downtown park, the site of concerts and
festivals year-round. This is also a green city,
with 12,000 acres of parks and greenbelts, including a greenbelt that
runs along the Colorado River. The Austin Parks and
Recreation Department has even won national awards for its beautiful
parks' system.
Festivals are many and well
attended. South by Southwest, held downtown, is
one of the largest music festivals in the country, held in
nearly 100 venues and featuring 135 artists.
The annual Austin City Music Festival attracts nearly 200,000
people over three days and presents a wide selection of bands
playing everything from country and folk to reggae and
bluegrass.
The University of Texas is not just for
teenagers and 20-somethings. It sponsors the Osher
Lifelong Learning Institute, a well-respected program designed
to provide "intellectual enrichment conducted in a
structured academic setting" for the mature demographic,
although there are no age restrictions. Five distinct
programs are offered, each with its own unique format, focus
and meeting schedule. The OLLI programs are membership-based
and attract an interesting group of experienced students.
Recreational activities for the active retiree
abound. For golfers, Austin has several 18-hole
championship golf courses, including the oldest golf course in the
state of Texas, the Hancock Golf Course, as well as the Morris
Williams Golf Course and the Roy Kizer Golf Course. Other
popular club courses include ColoVista, Forest Creek, River Place and
the Jimmy Clay Golf Course. For football fans, the
University of Texas Longhorns play in their 101,000 seat stadium and
have a loyal, and sometimes rowdy, following. There are
three lakes in town, providing boating and fishing opportunities, and
the nearby hills provide spots for hiking, camping and birding.
Austin has three senior activity centers and
seventeen recreation centers. The senior activity centers
do not require a membership fee, and they offer a variety of events
and activities, including groups, classes, health related events,
tours, trips, and recreational activities. The city offers
classes through their recreation centers, as well as table games,
dances, support groups, yoga, card games, art and fitness.
For those looking to give back to the community,
there are some great options for doing volunteer work. The
Austin Public Library, with 23 locations, welcomes volunteers, giving
people the opportunity to work in storytelling, research, book
processing and book shelving. There are also volunteer
opportunities for animal lovers through such places as the Town Lake
Animal Center, the Austin Heart House, Safeplace, Texas Nature
Trackers, the Truman House and TXServe, plus many more.
Getting to and from volunteering and merely getting
around town is not much of a problem. The city offers a
bus service, Capital Metro, which covers the metro area. Anyone
age 65 or better rides for half price with a Reduced Fare ID Card
($3). The city's parks
and recreation department offers senior transportation as well.
For those that travel by bicycle, Austin has been
rated as one of the top 10 bicycling cities in the country.
The city has taken measures to be bike safe and offers paths, wide
curb lanes and bicycle lanes.
With ten major hospitals and medical centers, six of
which are award-winning, Austin is a good place to age. For
military retirees, the city has an outpatient clinic, but the nearest
medical center is in Temple, 60 miles away.
A humid subtropical climate means hot, moist summers and mild
winters here. From June
through September, temperatures average over 90 degrees each day and
the high humidity levels make some days uncomfortable (Austin ranks
fairly low on the humidity comfort level meter). Winters usually
bring average daily high temperatures in the
60s with lows into the 40s. The city receives an average of
2 to 5 inches of rain per month, and sometimes it can rain for days.
Still, the area averages sunshine 230 days a year.
Austin has a lot going for it, but it still has some drawbacks. The crime rate is
slightly above the
national average, although it is lower than in other cities of similar
size. The water quality is very good, but the air quality
is well below the national average (city smog and other pollutants
trapped by temperature inversions). The city is
facing a $9.8 million dollar budget gap (better than the previous year
in which it faced a $32 million gap), and cuts in library hours,
recreation center hours and more are being discussed. Property
taxes are also set to rise. The city is grappling with growth
issues, and clashes between environmentalists and pro-growth factions
are not unknown. The chance that a tornado will
strike is 100% higher than the national average. Fewer Austin
doctors are accepting Medicare patients than in years past, although
all of the hospitals accept Medicare patients. Some people think
the city has become pretentious, but others see it as down to earth as
it was twenty years ago. And just a month ago, wildfires came
very close, even burning their way onto an outlying suburb.
Yet, retirees seeking a stimulating Southern city with a
liberal bent and a slightly funky flavor will want to check out
Austin, drawbacks and all. Music, art, great restaurants and
more await, making retirement full of possibilities in this original
and inviting central Texas oasis.
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