RANK #985 / 1001 NAT · #70 / 72 TX · POP 1,330,015
1YR FORECAST: -3.6%
5YR OUTLOOK: +5%
Travis County, Texas, is perhaps best known as home to Austin, the state capital and a hub for music and culture. Located in Central Texas, it spans rolling hills to the west and fertile plains to the east, bisected by the Colorado River, which forms lakes like Lake Travis and Lake Austin. This geography contributes to abundant outdoor recreation, including hiking, biking, swimming, and boating in its 26 parks and preserves such as Hamilton Pool Preserve and Pace Bend Park. Commute times can vary, with public transportation options like Capital Metro buses and the MetroRail offering alternatives to driving, particularly for those traveling to downtown Austin.
Life in Travis County offers a blend of urban amenities and access to natural spaces. The county is served by several public school districts, including Austin ISD, Eanes ISD, and Lake Travis ISD. Recent economic developments show ongoing investment across various sectors. While the county has experienced a population boom, leading to increased pressure on infrastructure, efforts are underway to manage growth and ensure continued quality of life. The local economy is seeing activity in areas such as manufacturing, with new facilities being built, and continued development in commercial and residential construction.
Travis County is one of 76 U.S. counties in this market profile — weaker than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of -5.8% runs below the profile's typical -3.7%.
See all 76 Sun Belt Post-Surge Correction counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Speculative pricing
Housing looks overvalued at 7.4x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
EdgeConneX Data Center Campus (AUS02)
EdgeConneX
|
$440M | Under Construction |
|
Civil and Family Courts Facility
Travis County
|
$333M | Completed |
|
Central Health Capital Investments
Central Health
|
$290M | Proposed |
|
East Blackland Solar Project (Pflugerville Solar Farm)
Duke Energy
|
$234M | Operating |
|
GFTX BESS Battery Storage Project
Giga Texas Energy LLC
|
$188M | Operating |
|
TX12 Silicon Hill Storage
Key Capture Energy
|
$150M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Travis County scores just 1/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #985 of 1001 counties. Job growth at +3.3% and median household income of $99,611 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
Travis County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $523,000 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.19 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,744/month on average.
Travis County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +1.7% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +3.3% clip. Home values shifted -5.8% in the past year.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 4.28% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Travis County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.
Home values fell -5.8% over the past year in Travis County, bringing the median down to $523,000. A drop of that magnitude usually reflects weakening demand or population outflow — worth watching if you're considering buying here.