Austin’s growth is fueled by a highly skilled workforce, modern infrastructure, and international connectivity, which act as economic adrenaline for businesses of all sizes.
Austin’s culture of innovation and creativity is on display every day in “the Live Music Capital of the World.” Our dynamic ecosystem of 42,000 small businesses is supported by numerous incubators, accelerators, and a municipally-funded Small Business Development Program. Austin is home to a major technology cluster, with industry giants like Dell, Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, 3M, IBM, Samsung, NXP Semiconductors, and National Instruments.
Austin’s growth is fueled by a highly skilled workforce, modern infrastructure, and international connectivity, which act as economic adrenaline for businesses of all sizes. The University of Texas at Austin, a world-class research institution and one of the largest universities in the nation, is a major contributor to Austin’s highly educated workforce and creative sector, graduating 12,000 students annually. The city known for “weird” is wired as well, as Google Fiber and AT&T deploy Gigabit-speed internet in Austin. Additionally, our international presence continues to grow, as visitors from all over the world convene in Austin to participate in events such as SXSW, Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, and Austin City Limits.
AUSTIN | TRAVIS COUNTY | AUSTIN MSA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population 2025 | 1,002,632 | 1,389,670 | 2,620,945 | |
| Population growth 2015-2025 | 10.7% | 18.4% | 31.7% | |
| Land area (sq. mi.) 2020 | 319.9 | 994.1 | 4,219.5 | |
| Median age 2026 | 34.5 | 35.3 | 36.1 | |
| Households 2026 | 468,748 | 606,520 | 1,071,655 | |
| Home ownership rate 2026 | 39.5% | 48.7% | 56.6% | |
| Median household income 2026 | $99,143 | $106,249 | $107,481 | |
| Per capita income 2026 | $68,154 | $67,420 | $61,010 | |
| High school grads 2026 | 93.7% | 93.5% | 93.5% | |
| College grads 2026 | 62.5% | 60.0% | 53.9% | |
| Labor force 2025 | 661,792 | 870,357 | 1,555,142 | |
| Unemployment rate 2025 | 3.3% | 3.4% | 3.5% | |
| Public school enrollment 2025-2026 | — | 191,158 | 403,226 | |
| High school graduates 2025 | — | 11,350 | 26,886 | |
| Retail sales 2025 | $25,961 mil. | $29,726 mil. | $52,913 mil. | |
| Business 2025 | Establishments | — | 51,464 | 76,604 |
| Employment | 884,302 | 981,902 | 1,392,465 | |
| Average salary | $96,695 | $97,270 | $89,172 | |
| Mfg.business 2025 | Establishments | — | 1,338 | 2,267 |
| Employment | — | 61,215 | 85,332 | |
| Average salary | — | $133,554 | $130,831 | |
Source: Texas Comptroller for retail sales; Texas Workforce Commission for labor force and unemployment; Chmura Economics for businesses, employees, and salaries; Texas Education Agency for public school enrollment and graduates; ESRI for 2026 demographic estimates; and U.S. Census Bureau for all other data.
- Contact: Katherine Sobel, Interim Advisor
- Phone: 512.974.9377
- Email: katherine.sobel@austintexas.gov
- Website: www.austintexas.gov
- X: @AustinEconDev

