State
Land Area
319.9 sq mi
Density
3,111.1/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
1.68%
Growth Since 2010
25.93%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Metro Population
2,288,670
Austin is a city located in Texas. With a 2020 population of 995,347, it is the 4th largest city in Texas (after Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas) and the 11th largest city in the United States. Austin is currently growing at a rate of 1.68% annually and its population has increased by 25.93% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 790,390 in 2010. Spanning over 327 miles, Austin has a population density of 3,111 people per square mile.
The average household income in Austin is $102,876 with a poverty rate of 13.23%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $1,280 per month, and the median house value is $337,400. The median age in Austin is 33.3 years, 33 years for males, and 33.7 years for females. For every 100 females there are 103.1 males.
While Austin has a sizable Hispanic population, the city has struggled to attract more African Americans, the only ethnic group in Austin that is shrinking. Two critical factors are causing a decline in the African-American community: moving away from the city center and higher mortality rates.
Austin is currently the fastest growing city in the United States and, from 2011 to 2016; it's expected to have an economic growth rate of over 6%, with a population growth rate approaching 3%. This means it's following a trend common across many major cities in Texas. Eight of the 15 fastest growing cities are in Texas, including San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas.
Young, recent college graduates and retiring baby boomers are now making up the majority of new Austinites, all being drawn in for the city's shopping, museums, and entertainment, along with affordable housing. Over the past few years, however, construction has not kept up with the population growth, creating a shortage of housing and jumps in home sales and prices.
Demographers believe Austin will continue its excellent growth in the short term, but the pace will eventually slow. Austin is already buckling under its population, with roadways packed and the third worst traffic congestion in any urban area in the US.
A forecast of population growth shows that Austin's metropolitan area's population may hit 3.2 million by 2030.
Austin was settled in the 1830s by pioneers, although the area has been inhabited since at least 9200 BC, or more than 11,000 years. For many years, Spanish colonists traveled through the area, but very few permanent settlements were created until 1730 when three missions from East Texas were reestablished at the site.
Texas won independence from Mexico in 1836 and became its own independent country. A year later, Republic of Texas Vice President Mirabeau Lamar visited the area while hunting buffalo and proposed moving the republic's capital (then in Houston) to the area. The city was incorporated in 1839 as Waterloo, but was quickly renamed Austin in honor of Stephen Austin, the "Father of Texas."
By the 1880s, Austin gained prominence with its state capital building, then the 7th most significant building in the world. The city slowly grew, launching several beautification projects in the 1920s and 1930s, further boosting its appeal and population.
Through half of the 20th century, Austin had a three-way social segregation system with Anglos, Mexicans and African Americans separated by law in most areas of life. This was eventually abolished, and Austin's Hispanic population proliferated. In 1970, its population was 15% Hispanic, 12% black and 73% non-Hispanic white; by 2010, the city was 35% Hispanic, 48% white and only 8% black.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Austin was:
2019 and 2020 population is estimated by projecting the raw 2018 numbers.
Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | 2,288,670 | 61,590 | 2.69% |
2019 | 2,227,080 | 61,580 | 2.77% |
2018 | 2,165,500 | 50,020 | 2.31% |
2017 | 2,115,480 | 53,460 | 2.53% |
2016 | 2,062,020 | 59,890 | 2.90% |
2015 | 2,002,130 | 59,660 | 2.98% |
2014 | 1,942,470 | 59,150 | 3.05% |
2013 | 1,883,320 | 48,730 | 2.59% |
2012 | 1,834,590 | 54,050 | 2.95% |
2011 | 1,780,540 | 53,040 | 2.98% |
2010 | 1,727,500 | 0.00% |
Race | Population | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White | 690,572 | 72.63% |
Black or African American | 74,441 | 7.83% |
Some Other Race | 73,876 | 7.77% |
Asian | 72,133 | 7.59% |
Two or More Races | 32,972 | 3.47% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 6,289 | 0.66% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 524 | 0.06% |
Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
---|---|---|---|
All | 380,392 | 2.44 | 45.1 |
Non Family | 182,718 | 1.5 | 29.9 |
Married | 145,693 | 3.24 | 67.3 |
Female | 36,813 | 3.52 | 36.3 |
Male | 15,168 | 3.5 | 37.9 |
3.21
Average Family Size
2.44
Average Household Size
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 39,127 | 5.95% |
9th to 12th Grade | 30,568 | 4.65% |
High School Graduate | 102,770 | 15.62% |
Some College | 109,590 | 16.65% |
Associates Degree | 35,672 | 5.42% |
Bachelors Degree | 212,650 | 32.32% |
Graduate Degree | 127,671 | 19.40% |
Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 353,188 | 345,409 | 230,323 |
Hispanic | 192,220 | 138,979 | 49,587 |
Asian | 50,757 | 47,651 | 39,066 |
Black | 49,346 | 44,234 | 14,218 |
Other Race | 45,083 | 29,076 | 6,261 |
Multiple Races | 16,748 | 15,412 | 8,219 |
Native American | 4,338 | 3,657 | 1,561 |
Islander | 316 | 294 | 140 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 97.80%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 76.97%.
$46,149
Average Earnings
$50,628
Average Male
$41,571
Average Female
68.08% of Austin residents speak only English, while 31.92% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 22.93% of the population.
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Hispanic | 317,182 | 59,786 | 18.85% |
White | 448,302 | 36,052 | 8.04% |
Other | 73,084 | 16,746 | 22.91% |
Black | 70,495 | 15,156 | 21.50% |
Asian | 70,951 | 9,255 | 13.04% |
Multiple | 32,468 | 4,460 | 13.74% |
Native | 6,197 | 1,320 | 21.30% |
Islander | 477 | 131 | 27.46% |
13.23%
Overall Poverty Rate
12.01%
Male Poverty Rate
14.50%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Austin is Islander, with 27.46% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Austin is White, with 8.04% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.74%. Among those working part-time, it was 20.64%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 26.16%.
40.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
41.0%
Male Marriage Rate
40.9%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 28,205 | 5.04% |
Hispanic | 7,144 | 3.10% |
Black | 4,130 | 7.02% |
2 or More | 1,373 | 6.70% |
Other | 1,311 | 2.48% |
Asian | 719 | 1.20% |
Indian | 324 | 6.56% |
Hawaiian | 32 | 7.67% |
8.47%
Veteran Poverty Rate
22.48%
Veteran Disability Rate
73.8%
Labor Force Participation
71%
Employment Rate
3.7%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
81.16%
Native Born
18.84%
Foreign Born
12.55%
Non Citizen
6.29%
Naturalized
81.16% of Austin residents were born in the United States, with 51.54% having been born in Texas. 12.55% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | 995,347 | 16,439 | 1.68% |
2019 | 978,908 | 16,439 | 1.71% |
2018 | 962,469 | 10,916 | 1.15% |
2017 | 951,553 | 12,106 | 1.29% |
2016 | 939,447 | 18,333 | 1.99% |
2015 | 921,114 | 19,944 | 2.21% |
2014 | 901,170 | 26,167 | 2.99% |
2013 | 875,003 | 20,521 | 2.40% |
2012 | 854,482 | 26,023 | 3.14% |
2011 | 828,459 | 22,295 | 2.77% |
2010 | 806,164 | 149,602 | 2.07% |
2000 | 656,562 | 190,940 | 3.50% |
1990 | 465,622 | 119,732 | 3.02% |
1980 | 345,890 | 92,351 | 3.15% |
1970 | 253,539 | 66,994 | 3.12% |
1960 | 186,545 | 54,086 | 3.48% |
1950 | 132,459 | 44,529 | 4.18% |
1940 | 87,930 | 34,810 | 5.17% |
1930 | 53,120 | 18,244 | 4.30% |
1920 | 34,876 | 5,016 | 1.56% |
1910 | 29,860 | 7,602 | 2.98% |
1900 | 22,258 | 7,683 | 4.32% |
1890 | 14,575 | 3,562 | 2.84% |
1880 | 11,013 | 6,585 | 9.54% |
1870 | 4,428 | 934 | 2.40% |
1860 | 3,494 | 2,894 | 19.27% |
1850 | 600 | 0.00% |