968 Apartments for rent in Austin, TX
📍Average Rent in Austin
Black Cat Lounge on Austin's famed 6th Street
Kanye West performing at SXSW
Kayaking and sunbathing at Barton Creek in Austin's Greenbelt
To the northwest of the city lie established neighborhoods that some claim to feel more like Dallas than Austin. One of these is Arboretum Area, which offers top retail, great schools, high tech employers, tons of apartments, and lots of dining and nightspot options. The tech companies and University of Texas research campus are big draws for the population who live there.
On the south side of the Colorado River is an area called Barton Hills, which is absolutely full of things to do, especially outside. Apartments are plentiful here, and there are parks, swimming pools, creeks, greenbelts, hiking and biking trails, etc. all over the area. It’s an ideal place for people who love the best of all worlds because it offers plenty of activities, shopping (Barton Creek Square), great schools, and other options within itself but is also super close to downtown and 2nd street retail district.
The suburbs of Austin are also very desirable. West Lake Hills especially is a popular area with its great rolling hills, gorgeous views, and proximity to both the city and the Colorado River. It is also within the Eanes Independent School District, the top school district in Austin.
East Austin tends to be a bit more gritty and nonconformist, and is becoming an increasingly popular area of the city. It’s got lots of hole-in-the-wall places (this area serves some of Austin’s best Mexican food), murals, worn-in spots, rugged exteriors, and an eclectic mix of neighbors. Nightlife in East Austin is extensive and full of character.
Living in downtown Austin is great for those who want to be in the center of all the action. Depending on where one lives downtown, it’s either right next to or super close to the Colorado River and Lady Bird Lake, meaning there’s lots of water-play options. There are also tons of parks, museums, restaurants, shopping, and events going on too. Austin is one of the nation’s most fit cities, and this is reflected in downtown’s walkabilty as well as proximity to all kinds of trails for all kinds of activities. There’s also the weekly Farmers Market in Republic Square as well as lots of other healthy grocery options like Whole Foods and multiple Royal Blue Grocery locations.
Beyond fitness awards, Austin is a great place for tons of different people, including creative professionals. Obviously, being the Live Music Capital of the World provides tons of opportunities and a great scene for aspiring musicians and producers. However, it is also great for moviemakers, artists, authors, etc. And this is shown in the city’s eagerness to “Keep Austin Weird.” Although there are many large businesses and retail chains in the area, the city’s residents have a huge appreciation for all things indie, local, and unique. Austinites hold dear all the things that make them funky and love encouraging anything that adds to, or maintains, their funky vibe.
The main form of transportation in Austin is, of course, the classic automobile. However, plenty of public transportation options are available as well. Capital Metro is the city’s provider of public transportation, and they offer MetroBus, MetroRapid (bus service on the same line as MetroBus but with less stops), and MetroRail, that all run from north to south in the city; UT Shuttles (University of Texas transportation, free to those with a valid UT photo ID); and vanpool and carpool options.
Overall, Austin is an eclectic, thriving mix. Different parts of the city serve different interests, but all are united in their love for Austin’s unique vibe. Moving here means getting a lot of opportunities for exposure to various sounds, tastes, interests, and walks of life. It’s a great place for those who want to expand their horizons and experience varying types of influences! As always, Apartment List is here to help you find the perfect home.
August 2019 Austin Rent Report
Welcome to the August 2019 Austin Rent Report. Austin rents increased over the past month. In this report, we'll evaluate trends in the Austin rental market, including comparisons to cities throughout the state and nation.
August 2019 Austin Rent Report
Welcome to the August 2019 Austin Rent Report. Austin rents increased over the past month. In this report, we'll evaluate trends in the Austin rental market, including comparisons to cities throughout the state and nation.
Austin rents increased significantly over the past month
Austin rents have increased 0.4% over the past month, and have increased moderately by 3.3% in comparison to the same time last year. Currently, median rents in Austin stand at $1,183 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,460 for a two-bedroom. This is the fifth straight month that the city has seen rent increases after a decline in February. Austin's year-over-year rent growth leads the state and national averages, which both stand at 1.6%.
Rents rising across cities in Texas
Throughout the past year, rent increases have been occurring not just in the city of Austin, but across the entire state. Of the largest 10 cities that we have data for in Texas, all of them have seen prices rise. The state as a whole logged rent growth of 1.6% over the past year. Here's a look at how rents compare across some of the largest cities in the state.
- Looking throughout the state, Plano is the most expensive of all Texas' major cities, with a median two-bedroom rent of $1,461; of the 10 largest Texas cities that we have data for, all have seen rents rise year-over-year, with Austin experiencing the fastest growth (+3.3%).
- Arlington, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi have all experienced year-over-year growth above the state average (2.9%, 2.5%, and 2.1%, respectively).
Comparable cities nationwide show more affordable rents compared to Austin
As rents have increased moderately in Austin, a few similar cities nationwide have also seen rents grow modestly. Compared to most other large cities across the country, Austin is less affordable for renters.
- Austin's median two-bedroom rent of $1,460 is above the national average of $1,191. Nationwide, rents have grown by 1.6% over the past year compared to the 3.3% increase in Austin.
- While Austin's rents rose moderately over the past year, many cities nationwide also saw increases, including Phoenix (+3.7%), New York (+1.8%), and DC (+1.7%).
- Renters will generally find more expensive prices in Austin than most similar cities. For example, Detroit has a median 2BR rent of $897, where Austin is more than one-and-a-half times that price.
For more information check out our national report. You can also access our full data for cities and counties across the U.S. at this link.
Methodology - Recent Updates:
Data from private listing sites, including our own, tends to skew toward luxury apartments, which introduces sample bias when estimates are calculated directly from these listings. To address these limitations, we’ve recently made major updates to our methodology, which we believe have greatly improved the accuracy and reliability of our estimates.
Read more about our new methodology below, or see a more detailed post here.
Methodology:
Apartment List is committed to making our rent estimates the best and most accurate available. To do this, we start with reliable median rent statistics from the Census Bureau, then extrapolate them forward to the current month using a growth rate calculated from our listing data. In doing so, we use a same-unit analysis similar to Case-Shiller’s approach, comparing only units that are available across both time periods to provide an accurate picture of rent growth in cities across the country.
Our approach corrects for the sample bias inherent in other private sources, producing results that are much closer to statistics published by the Census Bureau and HUD. Our methodology also allows us to construct a picture of rent growth over an extended period of time, with estimates that are updated each month.
Read more about our methodology here.
About Rent Reports:
Apartment List publishes monthly reports on rental trends for hundreds of cities across the U.S. We intend these reports to be a source of reliable information that help renters and policymakers make sound decisions, and we invest significant time and effort in gathering and analyzing rent data. Our work is covered regularly by journalists across the country.
We are continuously working to improve our methodology and data, with the goal of providing renters with the information that they need to make the best decisions.
Renter Confidence Survey
Apartment List has released Austin’s results from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of 111 million American renters nationwide.
Austin renters expressed general satisfaction with the city overall," according to Apartment List. "Howev...
Here’s how Austin ranks on:
Apartment List has released Austin’s results from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of 111 million American renters nationwide.
Austin renters expressed general satisfaction with the city overall," according to Apartment List. "However, ratings varied greatly across different categories, indicating that even though renters love Austin, some aspects can be better."
Key findings in Austin include the following:
- Austin renters gave their city an A- overall.
- The highest-rated categories for Austin were jobs and career opportunities and state and local taxes, which both received A+ grades.
- The areas of concern to Austin renters are commute time and public transit, which both received D grades.
- Millennial renters are very satisfied (A), while renters who are parents are equally satisfied (A+).
- Austin did relatively well compared to other cities in Texas, including Houston (B+) and Dallas (B).
- Austin earned similar scores to other Southern cities such as Charlotte, NC (A-), Charleston, SC (A-) and Nashville, TN (A-).
- The top rated cities nationwide for renter satisfaction include Scottsdale, AZ, Irvine, CA, Boulder, CO and Ann Arbor, MI. The lowest rated cities include Tallahassee, FL, Stockton, CA, Dayton, OH, Detroit, MI and Newark, NJ.
Renters say:
- "Beautiful landscapes and great water quality, but traffic can be bad and there is a large homeless population." – Carlton B.
- "I love that there are so many outdoor activities to do with my family." – Troy P.
- "I love that there’s lots of music and opportunities to enjoy nature, but public transit is spotty and it can be hard to get around" – Ally T.
- "I love the open, creative vibe of the city. But you want to live on the same side of the city as your work or traffic will destroy you." – Caitlin T.
For more information on the survey methodology and findings or to speak to one of our researchers, please contact our team at rentonomics@apartmentlist.com.