Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Area
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The Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos metropolitan statistical area, or Greater Austin, is a five-county
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, as defined by the
Office of Management and Budget The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). The office's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, while it also examines agency pro ...
. The metropolitan area is situated in
Central Texas Central Texas is a region in the U.S. state of Texas roughly bordered on the west by San Saba, to the southeast by Bryan- College Station, the south by San Marcos and to the north by Hillsboro. Central Texas overlaps with and includes part ...
on the western edge of the and on the eastern edge of the , and borders
Greater San Antonio Greater San Antonio, officially designated San Antonio–New Braunfels, is an eight-county metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Texas defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The metropolitan area straddles South Texas and Central ...
to the south. It forms part of the larger San Antonio-Austin Metroplex. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos MSA is the 26th-largest metropolitan area in the United States, with a total population of 2,352,426. The metropolitan area contains the City of Austin—the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 10th-largest city in the United States with a population of 974,447 people. Austin's largest suburbs are
Round Rock Round Rock is a city in Williamson County, Texas, Williamson and Travis County, Texas, United States, part of the Greater Austin metropolitan area. Its population is 119,468 according to the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The city stra ...
, Cedar Park, Georgetown, San Marcos, Leander, and Pflugerville.


History


Prehistoric and Archaic Eras

The areas in and around Austin have been the site of human habitation since at least 9,000 B.C., and possibly considerably before that. The earliest known inhabitants of the area, during the late Pleistocene (Ice Age), can be linked to the Clovis people around 9200 B.C. just west of Williamson County. But archeology dig sites show a much greater evidence of Archaic Period inhabitants has been recovered from burned rock middens and rock shelters near Round Rock along Brushy Creek, in Georgetown along the San Gabriel River, and in Austin especially near Barton Springs. The earliest known historical occupants of the area, the Tonkawas, were a flint-working, hunting people who followed the buffalo on foot and periodically set fire to the prairie to aid them in their hunts. During the 18th century they made the transition to a horse culture and used firearms to a limited extent. After they were crowded out by white settlement, the Comanches continued to raid settlements in the county until the 1860s. There also appear to have been small numbers of Kiowa, Yojuane, Tawakoni, and Mayeye Indians living in the Travis and Williamson counties at the time of the earliest Anglo settlements. Texas State Historical Association. The prehistory of Texas has been studied by both professional and avocational archeologists for many decades. Pre-historic campsites are found throughout the county along streams or other water sources; most are "open occupation" sites, though caves and rockshelters are often found along various rivers and streams.


19th century

When Europeans first arrived in the area, the
Tonkawa The Tonkawa are a Native American tribe from Oklahoma and Texas. Their Tonkawa language, now extinct language, extinct, is a linguistic isolate. Today, Tonkawa people are enrolled in the Federally recognized tribes, federally recognized Tonkawa ...
tribe was the most prevalent, though the
Comanche The Comanche (), or Nʉmʉnʉʉ (, 'the people'), are a Tribe (Native American), Native American tribe from the Great Plains, Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the List of federally recognized tri ...
s and
Lipan Apache Lipan Apache are a band of Apache, a Southern Athabaskan languages, Southern Athabaskan Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous people, who have lived in the Oasisamerica, Southwest and Southern Plains for centuries. At the time of European ...
s were known to travel through the area as well. Spanish explorers, including the Espinosa-Olivares-Aguirre expedition, traveled through the area for centuries though few permanent settlements were created for some time. Texas State Historical Association. In the mid-18th century the San Xavier missions were established along the San Gabriel River in what is now western Milam County to facilitate exploration. In 1804 the fort Puesta del Colorado was established by the Spanish in what is now Bastrop. In 1807 the San Marcos de Neve settlement (modern San Marcos) was established on the San Marcos River. Following the independence of
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, of which Texas was a part, the empresario Stephen F. Austin issued grants to settlers in what is now Bastrop and Fayette Counties. During the mid-1820s settlements were established along the Colorado River near modern La Grange. The village of Mina (later renamed Bastrop) was established in 1827. Growth of the settlements was stagnant for some time because of conflicts with the Native Americans in the region. Texas State Historical Association. Nevertheless, the region sat along an important trade route known as the Camino Real de los Tejas, which ran from Mexico, though San Antonio and San Marcos, to Natchitoches. During the 1830s others, such as Martín Veramendi and Thomas G. McGehee, were issued land grants by the Mexican government to encourage settlement in the region. A string of forts was established east of modern Austin in what was then the western frontier. Texas State Historical Association. In 1835 Texans fought for independence in the
Texas Revolution The Texas Revolution (October 2, 1835 – April 21, 1836) was a rebellion of colonists from the United States and Tejanos (Hispanic Texans) against the Centralist Republic of Mexico, centralist government of Mexico in the Mexican state of ...
and won. Following independence other settlements were gradually established including Waterloo and Brushy Creek (modern Round Rock). In 1839 a commission appointed by Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar selected Waterloo as the site for the new capital and the name ''Austin'' was chosen as the town's new name. In 1840 a series of conflicts between the Texas Rangers and the Comanches known as the Council House Fight and the Battle of Plum Creek finally pushed the Comanches westward mostly ending conflicts in Central Texas. Settlement in the area began to expand quickly. Travis County was established in 1840 and the surrounding counties were mostly established within the next two decades. New settlements were established such as Hamilton (now Burnet) in 1852. In 1861, with the outbreak of the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, voters in Austin, Bastrop, and other Central Texas communities and counties voted against secession. However, as the war progressed and fears of attack by Union forces increased, the communities contributed hundreds of men to the Confederate forces. With the end of the war and the emancipation of Texas slaves, the African American population of the area swelled dramatically. Black communities such as Wheatville, Pleasant Hill, and Clarksville were established around Austin by these newcomers. Texas State Historical Association. The postwar period saw dramatic population and economic growth. The town of Bastrop became a significant manufacturing center producing iron, coal, and textiles. The Chisolm Trail, one of the major routes for exporting cattle, passed through the region. The opening of the Houston and Texas Central Railway, connecting Austin with Houston, transformed Austin into the major trading center for the region. However, as new railroads were built through the region in the 1870s, Round Rock and other communities took over much of Austin's role as a trading center. In 1868 the Coronal Institute was established in San Marcos and in 1873 Texas University (later renamed
Southwestern University Southwestern University (Southwestern or SU) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Georgetown, Texas. Formed in 1873 from a revival of collegiate charters granted in 1840, Southwester ...
) was opened in Georgetown following the consolidation of five earlier colleges. Texas State Historical Association. Texas State Historical Association. During the 1880s Austin gained new prominence as the state capitol building was constructed and other universities were established in the area, most notably the
University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 students as of fall 2 ...
. Cattle and cotton production were major economic drivers for many outlying communities. Texas State Historical Association. In the late 19th century Austin expanded its city limits to more than three times its former area and the Austin Dam was built to power a new street car line and the new municipal water system.


20th century

In the early 20th century the
Texas Oil Boom The Texas oil boom, sometimes called the gusher age, was a period of dramatic change and economic growth in the U.S. state of Texas during the early 20th century that began with the discovery of a large petroleum reserve near Beaumont, Texas. ...
took hold creating tremendous economic opportunities in Southeast Texas and North Texas. The growth generated by this boom largely passed by Austin at first, with the city slipping from 4th largest to 10th largest in Texas between 1880 and 1920. Bastrop, however, became a significant center for oil drilling and coal mining in the early-to-mid-20th century. San Marcos, and some other communities, established significant manufacturing operations during the world wars substantially diversifying their economies. Beginning in the 1920s and 1930s, Austin launched a series of civic development and beautification projects that created much of the city's infrastructure and parks. In addition, the state legislature established the
Lower Colorado River Authority The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is a nonprofit public utility created in November 1934 by the Texas Legislature. LCRA's mission is to enhance the lives of the Texans it serves through water stewardship, energy and community service. ...
that, along with the City of Austin, created the system of dams along the Colorado River that formed the Highland Lakes. These projects were enabled in large part by the fact that Austin received more
Depression era The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
relief funds than any other Texas city. During the mid- and later 20th century, Austin became firmly established as the major metropolitan center of what is now Greater Austin. Communities such as Round Rock, Georgetown, and San Marcos increasingly became attractive bedroom communities for Austin, even as each of these communities has maintained its own economic core as well./. In the late 20th century, the face of the Austin community was changing rapidly.


Geography

Greater Austin is located in
Central Texas Central Texas is a region in the U.S. state of Texas roughly bordered on the west by San Saba, to the southeast by Bryan- College Station, the south by San Marcos and to the north by Hillsboro. Central Texas overlaps with and includes part ...
along the
Balcones Fault The Balcones Fault or Balcones Fault Zone is an area of largely normal faulting Edwards Aquifer in the U.S. state of Texas that runs roughly from the southwest part of the state near Del Rio to the north-central region near Dallas along Inte ...
and
Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican bo ...
, northeast of
San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
. The bisecting
Balcones Fault The Balcones Fault or Balcones Fault Zone is an area of largely normal faulting Edwards Aquifer in the U.S. state of Texas that runs roughly from the southwest part of the state near Del Rio to the north-central region near Dallas along Inte ...
renders eastern portions relatively flat and western portions—located on the edge of the
Texas Hill Country The Texas Hill Country is a geographic region of Central and South Texas, forming the southeast part of the Edwards Plateau. Given its location, climate, terrain, and vegetation, the Hill Country can be considered the border between the Ame ...
—mildly hilly. The region is crossed by the
Colorado River The Colorado River () is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The river, the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), 5th longest in the United St ...
with several human-made lakes, known as the Highland Lakes, along its length. Because the hills to the west are primarily
limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
rock with a thin covering of topsoil, the western portions of the area are frequently subjected to flash floods from the runoff caused by thunderstorms. Texas State Historical Association. To help control this runoff and to generate hydroelectric power, the
Lower Colorado River Authority The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is a nonprofit public utility created in November 1934 by the Texas Legislature. LCRA's mission is to enhance the lives of the Texans it serves through water stewardship, energy and community service. ...
operates a series of dams that form the lakes. The Austin area is located at the intersection of four major ecological regions and is consequently a temperate-to-hot green oasis with a highly variable climate having some characteristics of the desert, the tropics, and a wetter climate. The area is very diverse ecologically and biologically, and is home to a variety of animals and plants. The soils of Central Texas range from shallow, gravelly clay loams over limestone in the western outskirts to deep, fine sandy loams, silty clay loams, silty clays or clays in the city's eastern part. Some of the clays have pronounced shrink-swell properties and are difficult to work under most moisture conditions. Many of Austin's soils, especially the clay-rich types, are slightly to moderately alkaline and have free
calcium carbonate Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is a common substance found in Rock (geology), rocks as the minerals calcite and aragonite, most notably in chalk and limestone, eggshells, gastropod shells, shellfish skel ...
.


Climate

Greater Austin has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, characterized by hot summers and mild winters. On average, the City of Austin receives of rain per year, with most of the precipitation in the spring, and a secondary maximum in the fall. To the east, away from the Hill Country, precipitation is typically higher. For example, Bastrop receives an average of of rain per year. During springtime, severe thunderstorms sometimes occur, though tornados are rare in the city. Austin is usually at least partially sunny. Central Texas summers are usually hot and humid, with average temperatures of approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) from June until September. Temperatures above are common. For the entire year there is an average of 111 days above and 198 days above in the City of Austin. In general temperatures are somewhat cooler to the west in the Hill Country than in the plains to the east. The average August high temperature in Marble Falls is compared to in Bastrop, and the average January low in Marble Falls is compared to in Bastrop. Winters in the Austin area are mild and dry. For the entire year, Austin averages 88 days below and 24 days when the minimum temperature falls below freezing. Snowfall is rare in Central Texas, but the area suffers occasional
ice storm An ice storm, also known as a glaze event or a silver storm, is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain. The National Weather Service, U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulatio ...
s each year that freeze over roads and can affect parts of the region for as much as 48 hours or more.


Boundaries


Counties

As of March 2020, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the Austin–Round Rock-San Marcos MSA as including Bastrop,
Caldwell Caldwell may refer to: People * Caldwell (surname) * Caldwell (given name) * Caldwell First Nation, a federally recognized First Nation in southern Ontario, Canada Places Great Britain * Caldwell, Derbyshire, a hamlet * Caldwell, Ea ...
, Hays,
Travis Travis may refer to: People and fictional characters *Travis (given name), a list of people and fictional characters *Travis (surname), a list of people Places in the United States *Travis, Staten Island, a neighborhood *Travis Air Force Base, a ...
, and Williamson Counties. The U.S.
Bureau of Economic Analysis The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the United States Department of Commerce is a U.S. government agency that provides official macroeconomic and industry statistics, most notably reports about the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United ...
includes the counties of
Blanco Blanco (''white'' or ''blank'' in Spanish) or Los Blancos may refer to: People *Blanco (surname) Fictional characters *Blanco, a hobbit in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth *Blanco Webb, character in the BBC sitcom ''Porridge'' *Graboid#El Blanco, ...
, Burnet,
Lee Lee may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Lee'' (2007 film), Tamil-language sports action film * ''Lee'' (2017 film), Kannada-language action film * ''Lee'' (2023 film), biographical drama about Lee Miller, American photojournalist * ''L ...
, Llano,
Mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a worker who lays bricks to assist in brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cutti ...
, and Milam Counties, in addition to the Austin MSA, in its definition of the Austin Economic Area. The Capital Area Council of Governments, an Austin-area intergovernmental cooperative, adds Blanco, Burnet, Fayette, Lee, and Llano Counties to the MSA counties in its definition of the metropolitan area.


Communities

The following are cities, towns, and villages categorized based on the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
2024 population estimates. No population estimates are released for
census-designated places A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDPs), which are marked with an asterisk (*). These places are categorized based on their 2020 Census population.


= Cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants

=


= Places with 5,000 to 20,000 inhabitants

= * Bastrop (12,720) * Bee Cave (8,510) *
Buda Buda (, ) is the part of Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, that lies on the western bank of the Danube. Historically, “Buda” referred only to the royal walled city on Castle Hill (), which was constructed by Béla IV between 1247 and ...
(16,090) * Camp Swift* (7,943) * Dripping Springs (10,165) *
Elgin Elgin may refer to: Places Canada * Elgin County, Ontario * Elgin Settlement, a 19th-century community for freed slaves located in present-day North Buxton and South Buxton, Ontario * Elgin, a village in Rideau Lakes, Ontario * Elgin, Manit ...
(12,438) * Jarrell (5,151) * Lago Vista (10,201) * Lakeway (19,056) * Liberty Hill (11,984) * Lockhart (17,166) * Luling (5,752) *
Taylor Taylor, Taylors or Taylor's may refer to: People * Taylor (surname) ** List of people with surname Taylor * Taylor (given name), including Tayla and Taylah * Taylor sept, a branch of Scottish clan Cameron * Justice Taylor (disambiguation) ...
(17,872) * Wells Branch* (14,000)


= Places with 1,000 to 5,000 inhabitants

= * Bartlett (partial) (1,676) * Barton Creek* (3,356) *
Briarcliff Briarcliff most commonly refers to: * Briarcliff Manor, New York, a village in Westchester County ** Briarcliff College, a college in the village that closed in 1977 ** Briarcliff Entertainment, an independent film production and distribution compa ...
(2,387) * Circle D-KC Estates* (2,588) *
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
(1,211) * Garfield* (1,825) *
Granger Granger may refer to: People and fictional characters * Granger (surname), a list of people and fictional characters * Granger (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Granger (Tourtechot) (c. 1680s–1734), French physician a ...
(1,209) * Hudson Bend* (4,005) *
Jonestown The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, better known by its informal name "Jonestown", was a remote settlement in Guyana established by the Peoples Temple, an American religious movement under the leadership of Jim Jones. Jonestown became in ...
(2,615) * Lost Creek* (1,276) * Martindale (1,266) * Mustang Ridge (1,002) * Point Venture (1,243) * Rollingwood (1,438) * Serenada* (2,098) * Shady Hollow* (4,822) * Smithville (4,335) * The Hills (2,342) * Thorndale (partial) (1,388) *
Uhland Uhland may refer to: *Ludwig Uhland (1787-1862), German poet *Uhland, Texas Uhland ( ) is a city in Caldwell and Hays counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 1,588 at the 2020 census, up from 1,014 at the 2010 census. Uhland is ...
(1,885) *
West Lake Hills West Lake Hills (locally referred to as "Westlake") is a city in Travis County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,444. It is a suburb west of central Austin. History West Lake Hills was founded by Emmett Shelt ...
(3,208) * Wimberley (2,889) * Woodcreek (1,866) * Wyldwood* (3,694)


= Places with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants

= * Bear Creek (461) * Coupland (302) * Creedmoor (423) * Hays (264) * Mountain City (676) * Niederwald (720) * San Leanna (517) * Sunset Valley (617) *
Thrall A thrall was a slave or Serfdom, serf in Scandinavia, Scandinavian lands during the Viking Age. The status of slave (, ) contrasts with that of the Franklin (class), freeman (, ) and the nobleman (, ). Etymology Thrall is from the Old Norse ...
(873) * Volente (522) * Webberville (472) *
Weir A weir or low-head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the water level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...
(770)


= Unincorporated places

= * Alum Creek * Andice *
Butler A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments, with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantries, pantr ...
* Cedar Creek *
Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
* Corn Hill * Dale *
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
*
Driftwood Driftwood is a wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea, lake, or river by the action of winds, tides or waves. It is part of beach wrack. In some waterfront areas, driftwood is a major nuisance. However, the driftwood provides ...
* Flower Hill *
Hills A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit, and is usually applied to peaks which are above elevation compared to the relative landmass, though not as prominent as mountains. Hills fall und ...
(partial) * Hornsby Bend ETJ * Jeddo * Jollyville* * Kirtley (partial) * Manchaca *
Maxwell Maxwell may refer to: People * Maxwell (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name ** James Clerk Maxwell, mathematician and physicist * Justice Maxwell (disambiguation) * Maxwell baronets, in the Baronetage of N ...
* McDade * McNeil * Norman's Crossing * Paige * Prairie Lea * Sayersville * Schwertner * String Prairie * Red Rock * Rosanky * Theon *
Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...
* Upton * Walburg *
Waterloo Waterloo most commonly refers to: * Battle of Waterloo, 1815 battle where Napoleon's French army was defeated by Anglo-allied and Prussian forces * Waterloo, Belgium Waterloo may also refer to: Other places Australia * Waterloo, New South Wale ...
* Windemere*


= Other

= More distant communities such as Marble Falls, Burnet, Johnson City, Killeen, and
Lampasas Lampasas ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lampasas County, Texas, United States. Its population was 7,291 at the 2020 census. Lampasas is part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood metropolitan statistical area. History For his ...
are sometimes considered part of Greater Austin though they fall outside the bounds of the OMB definitions. There are almost 5 million people in the Austin-San Antonio corridor.


Demographics

Greater Austin is one of the fastest growing large metropolitan areas in the U.S. In 2020, U.S. Census Bureau estimated that in the Austin–Round Rock–Georgetown MSA increased to 2,283,371 people, 796,315 households, and 495,990 families. The racial makeup of the metropolitan area was 66.4%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 6.6%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.9% Native American, 7.0% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 11.1% from other races, and 16.5% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 31.9% of the population. , U.S. Census Bureau estimated that in the Austin–Round Rock–Georgetown MSA there were 1,719,289 people. The racial makeup of the metropolitan area was 72.9%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 7.4%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.8% Native American, 4.8% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 10.9% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 31.4% of the population. The median income for a household in the MSA was $46,512 and the median income for a family was $54,361. Males had a median income of $35,612 versus $27,095 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $20,721. , the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of the Austin–Round Rock–Georgetown MSA had increased to 1,943,299. In 2010, the urban area population (as defined by the Census Bureau) was estimated to be 1,362,416 while the 2013 population of Austin proper estimated at 885,400.


Economy

Greater Austin has a diverse economy, anchored by government, technology (particularly software and semiconductors), and education. The Austin-Round Rock MSA had an estimated gross domestic product of $168.4 billion in 2020, making it the 24th largest metropolitan economy in the U.S. As of late 2021, major employers in the Greater Austin area include
Accenture Accenture plc is a global multinational professional services company originating in the United States and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, that specializes in information technology (IT) services and management consulting. It was founded in 1 ...
,
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...
,
Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...
,
Applied Materials Applied Materials, Inc. is an American corporation that supplies equipment, services and software for the manufacture of semiconductor (integrated circuit) chips for electronics, flat panel displays for computers, smartphones, televisions, and ...
,
Austin Independent School District Austin Independent School District (AISD) is a school district based in the city of Austin, Texas, United States. Established in 1881, the district serves most of the City of Austin, the neighboring municipalities of Sunset Valley and San Lea ...
,
Ascension Seton Ascension or ascending may refer to: Religion * "Ascension", the belief in some religions that some individuals have ascended into Heaven without dying first. The Catholic concept of the Assumption of Mary leaves open the question of her deat ...
HealthCare network,
Dell Dell Inc. is an American technology company that develops, sells, repairs, and supports personal computers (PCs), Server (computing), servers, data storage devices, network switches, software, computer peripherals including printers and webcam ...
, H-E-B Grocery,
IBM International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...
,
NXP Semiconductors NXP Semiconductors N.V. is a Dutch semiconductor manufacturing and design company with headquarters in Eindhoven, Netherlands. It is the third largest European semiconductor company by market capitalization as of 2024. The company employs approx ...
, Samsung Semiconductors, St. David's HealthCare Partnership, the Texas State Government, Tesla, the
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,
The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 students as of fall 2 ...
,
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.


Culture and recreation


Annual events and festivals

The communities in Greater Austin hold many annual events. In Austin two of the most well known festivals are the ''
South by Southwest South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...
'' Music and Film Festival and the
Austin City Limits Music Festival Austin City Limits (ACL) Music Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Zilker Park in Austin, Texas, on two consecutive three-day weekends and is inspired by the KLRU/PBS music series ''Austin City Limits''. The festival is pro ...
, which draw artists and spectators from around the world. Many other Austin festivals take place including the ''Old Pecan Street Festival'', ''Blues on the Green'', and the ''Laguna Gloria Art Museum Fiesta''. The ''Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival'' is centered in Austin but takes place at restaurants and venues in multiple communities. Outside of Austin many communities host local events of their own. Marble Falls hosts the ''Bluebonnet Blues and Fine Arts Festival'', an event that attracts artists and performers from around the state to the community's downtown. Burnet hosts the Spring ''Bluebonnet Festival'', which features a golf tournament, car shows, vintage airplane shows, and other activities. The ''Old Settler's Music Festival'' in Driftwood features live outdoor performances ranging from folk music to bluegrass and
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
. Some area communities host civic heritage festivals including the ''Cedar Park Heritage Festival'' and the ''Chisolm Trail Round Up'' in Lockhart. The ''
Oktoberfest Oktoberfest (; ) is the world's largest , featuring a beer festival and a travelling carnival, and is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, from mid- or late-September to the first Sunday in October. The annual event attracts more than seven milli ...
'' celebration in Fredericksburg is one of the largest and most traditional in Texas. Rodeo fairs occur annually including the ''Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo'' and the ''Burnet Rodeo''.


Arts and music

Austin has adopted the nickname "Live Music Capital of the World" based on its claim of having the highest percentage of music performers of any other major city. The city has a variety of venues for live music performance of popular and country music including famous clubs such as Antone's and
Emo's Emo's is a music and event venue located in Austin, Texas. Emo's got its start as a Houston punk club in 1989, with the Austin location opening in 1992. The Houston location closed its doors in September 2001. The nightclub is an official ...
. The long-running television program
Austin City Limits ''Austin City Limits'' is an American Concert, live music Television show, television program recorded and produced by KLRU, Austin PBS. The show helped Austin become widely known in the United States as the "Live Music Capital of the World", an ...
has for decades showcased the city's music scene, as has the South by Southwest festival and other events in the city. Apart from these the city hosts major classical music performances via the Austin Lyric Opera and the
Austin Symphony Orchestra The Austin Symphony Orchestra is the oldest performing group in Austin, Texas, USA. It was founded in 1911. History The inaugural concert of the Austin Symphony Orchestra was held on April 25, 1911. Initially, the orchestra consisted of 28 unpai ...
. Other communities in the Austin Area host their own music venues and organizations as well. The Williamson County Symphony Orchestra, founded in 2002, offers performances at locations throughout the county. The Starlight Symphony, a community orchestra, offers performances at various venues within the southwestern areas of Greater Austin including San Marcos, Dripping Springs, and Johnson City. The Round Rock Symphony, a recently established organization, offers performances within Round Rock.


Sports

Austin's sole major-league professional sports team is
Austin FC Austin FC is an American professional soccer club based in Austin, Texas. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 2018, the club began play in the 2021 season. Their home stadium is Q ...
, a
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...
team that debuted in 2021. Until then, the Austin metropolitan area was the second largest market in North America not to have any such franchises, behind the
Inland Empire The Inland Empire (commonly abbreviated as the IE) is a metropolitan area and region inland of and adjacent to coastal Southern California, centering around the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, and bordering Los Angeles County and Or ...
. The area is also home to several minor-league teams, as well as the
Texas Longhorns The Texas Longhorns are the athletic teams representing the University of Texas at Austin. The teams are sometimes referred to as the Horns and take their name from Longhorn cattle that were an important part of the development of Texas, and ...
and
Texas State Bobcats The Texas State Bobcats are the sports teams that represent Texas State University. Currently, they compete in the Sun Belt Conference in NCAA Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision for football). The Bobcat has been the mascot of Texas State Uni ...
collegiate sports programs and the
Circuit of the Americas Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a Grade 1 Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA-specification motor racing track and facilities located in Austin, Texas, United States. The facility is home to the Formula One United States Grand Pr ...
motor-racing circuit. Regional professional sports clubs include the
Round Rock Express The Round Rock Express are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers. They are located in Round Rock, Texas, and play their home ...
in
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baseball, the
Texas Stars The Texas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Cedar Park, Texas. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Dallas Stars. They play their homes games at the H-E-B Center. History In ...
in AHL hockey, the
Austin Spurs The Austin Spurs are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Cedar Park, Texas, and are affiliated with the San Antonio Spurs. The team plays their home games at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. The team has made the po ...
in G-League basketball, the
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in
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soccer, the
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in WFA football, and the
Austin Aces The Austin Aces were a World TeamTennis (WTT) team in Austin, Texas, USA. The team was known as the Newport Beach Breakers from 2003 until the 2011 season and as the Orange County Breakers during 2012 and 2013, before moving to Texas for the 2014 ...
in WTT tennis. In professional
motorsport Motorsport or motor sport are sporting events, competitions and related activities that primarily involve the use of Car, automobiles, motorcycles, motorboats and Aircraft, powered aircraft. For each of these vehicle types, the more specific term ...
, the Circuit of the Americas hosts the
United States Grand Prix The United States Grand Prix is a motor racing event that has been held on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The Grand Prix later became part of the Formula One World Championship. , the Grand Prix has been held ...
and the
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, as well as the
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. Austin also hosts the Texas Rollergirls flat-track roller derby league. The region is also home to several endurance and multi-sport race events, including the Austin Marathon, the Capitol 10K race, and the Capital of Texas Triathlon. Sizeable running, swimming and bicycling communities make use of a network of trails and greenbelts centered on the Lady Bird Lake#Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and Boardwalk, Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail and local pools like Barton Springs Pool.


Parks and preserves

The Austin area has long been known for its outdoor attractions and is home to numerous parks and nature preserves. Major parks within the City of Austin include McKinney Falls State Park, Emma Long Metropolitan Park, Zilker Park, and Hippie Hollow Park. Mount Bonnell Park is a popular destination, located at one of the highest points in the city. Outside of the Austin various other parks, including Bastrop State Park, Lockhart State Park, and Longhorn Cavern State Park, are available. Further from the area's core is the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, a park near Fredericksburg featuring a large granite mound that is popular with hikers and climbers. Additionally Pedernales Falls State Park in Johnson City, and Inks Lake State Park in Burnet, are among the many other parks available in Central Texas. The largest nature preserve in the area is the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, a preserve northwest of Austin near Burnet and Marble Falls comprising . Other preserves in the area include the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, the Louis René Barrera Indiangrass Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Onion Creek Wildlife Sanctuary. These preserves are all part of the Heart of Texas Wildlife Trail, a network of trails and sites for viewing wildlife habitats, created by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.


Education


Universities and colleges

The region contains numerous universities. Major area universities include the University of Texas at Austin (flagship of the University of Texas System), Texas State University (flagship of the Texas State University System), and
Southwestern University Southwestern University (Southwestern or SU) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Georgetown, Texas. Formed in 1873 from a revival of collegiate charters granted in 1840, Southwester ...
(Georgetown). The city of Austin itself contains numerous other institutions of higher education including Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Concordia University Texas, Concordia University, Huston–Tillotson University, St. Edward's University, Austin Community College, and others. Additional institutions in the suburban communities include Temple College in Taylor and the Texas State University extension in Round Rock. In 2006, 35% of adults in the City of Austin held college degrees, placing fourth among the 77 largest cities in the U.S. this percentage had climbed to 43.3%. In Round Rock 37.2% of adults held degrees, in Pflugerville 40.50% held degrees, in Cedar Park 39.1% held degrees, and in San Marcos 34.1% held degrees. This compares to 23.2% for all of Texas and 24.4% for the entire U.S. making the Austin area one of the most educated metropolitan areas in the U.S.


Primary and secondary

The region is served by numerous school districts. the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce lists 29 public school districts, 17 charter schools, and 69 private schools. The Chamber lists as the primary districts Austin Independent School District, Austin ISD, Bastrop Independent School District, Bastrop ISD, Del Valle Independent School District, Del Valle ISD, Eanes Independent School District, Eanes ISD, Georgetown Independent School District, Georgetown ISD, Hays Consolidated Independent School District, Hays CISD, Lake Travis Independent School District, Lake Travis ISD, Leander Independent School District, Leander ISD, Pflugerville Independent School District, Pflugerville ISD, and Round Rock Independent School District, Round Rock ISD. Adding to this list the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District, there are a total of 11 core districts. the Texas Education Agency ranks one district, Eanes, as "Exemplary", the highest rating. Three districts, Del Valle, Leander, and Round Rock, are ranked as "Recognized", the second highest rating. All of the others are ranked as "Academically Acceptable". These 12 districts operate 330 individual schools. Of these schools 98 (30%) are ranked as "Exemplary", and 87 (26%) are ranked as "Recognized". Major private schools in the area include Redeemer Lutheran School, Brentwood Christian School, Hill Country Christian School, Hyde Park Baptist School, the Regents School, Round Rock Christian Academy (Round Rock), Summit Christian Academy (Leander), St. Andrew's Episcopal School, and St. Michael's Academy.


Transportation


Highways

The principal highways in the metropolitan area are Interstate 35 (Texas), Interstate 35 and the MoPac Expressway (State Highway Loop 1), both of which are the primary north–south roadways. Other important arteries in the city and its immediate vicinity are U.S. Highway 183 (Texas), U.S. Highway 183 (also known as "Research Blvd."), and U.S. Highway 290 (Texas), U.S. Highway 290 which provide East/West thoroughfares. Other important highways include State Highway 71 (Texas), State Highway 71 (also known as "Ben White Blvd.") which connects Austin with Houston to the south, and to Marble Falls and the Highland Lakes chain to the west. And State Highway Loop 360 (Texas), State Highway Loop 360 is a scenic highway which runs to the north–south on the west side of Austin but curves westward into the hills. Loop 360 carries special scenic zoning as well preventing billboards and minimizing views of the surrounding buildings. Austin's new toll roads include State Highway 130, U.S. Highway 183 (Texas), U.S. Highway 183-A, and State Highway 45 (Texas), State Highway 45 discussed below. Interstate 10 (Texas), Interstate 10 also runs through the extreme southern portion of Caldwell County. In November 2006, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) opened the first segment of the region's first toll road system. Both Texas State Highway 130, State Highway 130 and State Highway 45 (Texas), State Highway 45 toll roads run through portions of Austin and provide greatly increased mobility to the city. State Highway 130 (Texas), State Highway 130 prior to 2013 ran just south of Austin Bergstrom International Airport at US Highway 183 and ended at
Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican bo ...
north of Georgetown. It provides mobility and access to the easternmost part of Austin and Travis County, and allows residents in Williamson County easy access to the airport. This project, completed in October 2012, now ends at Interstate 10 just east of Seguin, Texas, Seguin, about 30 miles east-northeast of
San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
. The speed limit on the newly completed stretch is the highest in the United States, but not the first is Texas as I-10 has had an 85mph speed limit for decades, at . State Highway 45 (Texas), State Highway 45 is part of an eventual partial loop that runs east from U.S. Highway 183 in Cedar Park to State Highway 130 at Pflugerville (east of Round Rock) where it merges with the SH 130 toll road, and then intersects with the southern portion of SH 45 near Buda, south of Austin. SH 45 is one of the very few East/West connectors in Austin, but it also connects to a tolled extension of Texas State Highway Loop 1, Loop 1 (also known locally as the Texas State Highway Loop 1, "Mopac Expressway") and allows direct access from to I-35 to Loop 1 by use of flyover connections rather than ground level intersections. The toll roads also provide access to the
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headquarters and its approximately 16,000 employees.Hall, Christine.
Cyberstates: Texas second-largest tech employment
" ''Austin Business Journal''. Wednesday April 28, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
Despite the overwhelming initial opposition to the toll road concept, both toll roads have improved mobility in and around the Austin area and are significantly exceeding their revenue projections.


Public transportation

The metro area is served by buses of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro). Capital Metro operates 48 fixed-route, 1 flex-route, and eight express bus services within the city of Austin and several nearby suburbs in Travis and Williamson counties. Capital Metro also operates the shuttles of the University of Texas, which provides limited-stop services to and from neighborhoods where many university students reside. A commuter rail service—the Red line of Capital MetroRail—began service on March 22, 2010, connecting Downtown Austin with the city of Leander. The region's primary airport is Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.


Politics

Politically, Greater Austin leans toward the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, though it has voted Republican in the past, such as during Texan George W. Bush's presidential victories in 2000 and 2004. However, at a local level, Austin has only two Democrats, Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar, representing any part of it in Congress.


See also

* List of cities in Texas * Texas census statistical areas * List of Texas metropolitan areas * Silicon Hills * Texas Triangle


Notes


References

;General ;Specific * * *


External links

*
Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
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