Moving From California to Austin: What I Tell Every California Buyer
You are looking at Austin from California, and your head is full of questions. Good. Questions mean you are serious. I'm Felix, a Texas Realtor, and I live in Cedar Park. I'm going to answer the big four before you ask them: cost, taxes, heat and traffic.
Before you finish this page, I'll show you three things. First, the tax number that surprises almost every California buyer, and it is not the one you expect. Second, a heat comparison you will want to see before you book a flight. Third, the single question I ask before I show you one house. Stay with me, because that last one decides everything.
Who this page is for
You live in California, maybe the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento or somewhere in between, and you are thinking about a home in Austin, Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, Georgetown or on the Lake Travis side. You might be ready this season, or you might be a year out. Either way, I would rather you decide with real numbers than with a feeling.
Cost of living: the honest numbers
Start with the home itself. This is a national home value index that tracks the typical middle-tier home, single-family and condo, smoothed to take out month-to-month noise. These are the figures as of Sep 30, 2026.
| Metro area | Typical home value | Austin metro is about this much lower |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $414,273 | n/a |
| Los Angeles | $950,020 | $536,000 |
| San Francisco | $1,120,379 | $706,000 |
| San Jose | $1,523,615 | $1,109,000 |
| San Diego | $926,961 | $513,000 |
| Sacramento | $572,813 | $159,000 |
The last column is simple subtraction from the first two, rounded to the nearest thousand.
Read that slowly. A typical Los Angeles metro home runs about $536,000 more than a typical Austin metro home on this measure. In the San Jose metro the gap is more than a million dollars. Sacramento is much closer, about $159,000. Austin is not cheap, and I will never tell you it is. It is a different set of choices.
A typical value is a map, not a price tag. The home you want sits above or below it, and Austin-area cities vary a lot, as you will see in the area table below. For the sold market, Unlock MLS, the Central Texas MLS, reported a median sold price of $421,000 for the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos area in September 2026, with 5.4 months of inventory and homes closing at an average of 92.7 percent of their original list price. That is a different measure than the index above, so don't line the two up as if they were the same thing.
Taxes: the number nobody expects
You are probably coming for the income tax, so let's start there. Texas has none. The Texas Constitution says the legislature may not tax the net incomes of individuals. California's individual income tax runs from 1.00 percent to 13.30 percent, according to the Tax Foundation's 2026 state profile. For a lot of people that is the biggest line on the page, and it is real.
Now the number that surprises people. Texas makes up for the missing income tax with property tax and sales tax. The Tax Foundation puts the average effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing at 1.40 percent in Texas and 0.70 percent in California. That is twice as high, on a statewide average. That is the first thing I promised you.
| Texas | California | |
|---|---|---|
| State individual income tax | None | 1.00% to 13.30% |
| Effective property tax rate, owner-occupied housing, statewide average | 1.40% | 0.70% |
| Average combined state and local sales tax rate | 8.19% | 8.99% |
Source: Tax Foundation 2026 state profiles. These are statewide averages, not a quote for any address.
Here is what matters. Texas has no state property tax. Local taxing units, like the county, the school district and the city, set the rates, according to the Texas Comptroller. So two homes a mile apart can carry different tax bills, and a statewide average can miss in either direction. Texas also has homestead protections for a primary residence, including a $140,000 school-district exemption, and the rules come with conditions, so I point you to the official source for your address.
So which one comes out ahead for you? That depends on your income, your home and your address, and nobody can answer it honestly without your numbers. Before you fall for a house, I put the property tax picture for that address next to the price so there are no surprises. I'm a Realtor, not a tax advisor, and your tax professional has the final word on income tax.
Heat: here is the number you will want to see
Austin is hot. I am not going to dress it up. Here is what the NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals say, side by side with two coastal California airport stations.
| Station | Days a year at or above 90°F | Days a year at or above 100°F | Nights a year at or below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin (Camp Mabry) | 122.9 | 28.8 | 11.9 |
| Los Angeles International Airport | 4.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| San Francisco International Airport | 4.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991 to 2020 monthly normals. These are coastal airport stations. If you live inland, your starting point is different, and I would rather ask you than guess.
That is the second thing I promised. Austin averages about 123 days a year at or above 90 degrees. Coastal Los Angeles averages under five. It is a real change, and the swing from year to year is wide. Austin's official station reached 100 degrees on 90 days in 2011, according to KXAN's review of the records.
The other side of that coin is the winter. The normal January high at Camp Mabry is 62.5 degrees and the normal December high is 63.9. When we walk a home, I tell you what I notice about the house itself, like the age of the systems and how the lot sits. I'm a Realtor, not an inspector, and a licensed inspector is always your call.
Traffic: the average and the truth
Californians ask about traffic like they are braced for bad news. Here is what the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey says about the average one-way travel time to work.
| Place | Average commute, minutes |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles (city) | 30.7 |
| San Francisco (city) | 30.4 |
| Bee Cave | 22.1 |
| Austin (city) | 23.7 |
| Round Rock | 24.9 |
| Cedar Park | 25.5 |
| Pflugerville | 27.4 |
| Georgetown | 28.2 |
| Lakeway | 28.8 |
| Leander | 29.2 |
| Hutto | 29.3 |
| Jarrell | 33.4 |
| Liberty Hill | 34.1 |
| Lago Vista | 34.7 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, mean travel time to work, workers age 16 and over, 2020 to 2024.
An average hides your worst morning. Yours and mine will not match, because it depends on where you work and what time you leave. That is why I ask where you need to be before I show you a single address. One more option: CapMetro's Red Line is a commuter train between Leander and downtown Austin with 10 stations. It is a commuter line, not a subway grid, and its service hours are limited, so I will tell you honestly which addresses it works for.
Going home to see family is a flight, not a drive. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport's June 2026 list shows nonstop service to the Los Angeles area, the Bay Area, San Diego and Sacramento, and airlines change schedules, so check before you book.
Which part of Austin fits your life
Here is where I pay off the third thing. Everything depends on where you need to be and what you want around you. I match homes by commute and by what is there, never by who lives there. Here is what each area offers.
On or near Lake Travis: Lakeway, Lago Vista, Bee Cave and Steiner Ranch
Lake Travis is a Lower Colorado River Authority reservoir on the Colorado River, about 13 miles northwest of Austin, with a surface area of 19,297 acres at conservation pool, according to the Texas Water Development Board. The lake is operated for flood control, water supply, power generation and recreation, so I walk every lakefront buyer through what that means at the specific address.
Lakeway is on Lake Travis. Its City Park is waterfront parkland with swimming in designated areas, fishing, kayaking, nearly two miles of trails, a dog park and basketball, sand volleyball and baseball, and there are marinas in the area.
Lago Vista is on the north shore of Lake Travis, with hiking and biking trails, a city pool, local parks and a city-owned 18-hole golf course with views of the lake.
Bee Cave is west of downtown Austin. Hill Country Galleria is a 1.3-million-square-foot lifestyle center there, with retail, office space, residences and 50 acres of green space, and it hosts more than 150 community events a year. The city's Central Park is about 60 acres, with two playgrounds, a dog park, two pavilions, a basketball court and about 1.75 miles of concrete trail. Its average commute is the shortest in my list, 22.1 minutes.
Steiner Ranch is a master-planned community in Austin. Its master association lists pools, parks, tennis and pickleball courts, soccer fields, trails, community centers, a dog park and a Lake Club with a boat ramp and covered pavilion. Access to most of these is for residents, with a key fob.
Trails, parks and a drive or train to the north: Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock and Georgetown
Cedar Park has Brushy Creek Lake Park, 90 acres with a 38-acre lake for fishing and non-motorized boating, trails, a splash pad and a kayak and canoe launch. The Brushy Creek Regional Trail, about 7.75 mostly concrete miles, runs from Twin Lakes Park in Cedar Park to Round Rock. I live in Cedar Park, so this is the city I can talk about the longest.
Leander is the northern end of CapMetro's Red Line commuter rail, which runs between Leander and downtown Austin. The city completed an Old Town Master Plan in September 2023 aimed at strengthening its downtown.
Round Rock calls itself the Sports Capital of Texas. The city's 670-acre Old Settlers Park has a 20-field baseball complex, a 5-field softball complex, seven soccer fields, an 18-hole disc golf course and about 3.3 miles of paved trail.
Georgetown is built around a historic square that surrounds the Williamson County Courthouse. In 1997 it became the first Texas city to win the Great American Main Street Award, and the city lists three National Register historic districts with more than 180 historic buildings and homes.
East and northeast: Pflugerville and Hutto
Pflugerville has Lake Pflugerville Park, with a 3-mile hike-and-bike trail, fishing, pavilions and a beach area. Powerboats are not allowed on the lake, and water access depends on the lake level, so I tell you what is open when we look.
Hutto has a historic Old Town, where the Downtown Commercial Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with shops and restaurants along Farley Street. The 3.2-mile Cottonwood Trail runs from Fritz Park to Creekside Park. The hippo is the town mascot, the most popular local legend traces it to a 1915 circus-train stop, and the city estimates 5,000 to 10,000 concrete hippos around town.
Room to grow: Liberty Hill and Jarrell
Liberty Hill is planning for its downtown. The city adopted a Downtown Master Plan in 2024 and says it is in a planning and evaluation phase, with no construction approved yet. Its LHTX 2040 comprehensive plan, adopted in October 2023, covers mobility, neighborhoods, and parks and open space. The Census Bureau counted 3,646 people in 2020 and estimates 13,317 in July 2025, so things are changing fast. Ask me what is built today and what is still on paper, and I will tell you what I can verify.
Jarrell sits along I-35 north of Georgetown. It has the lowest typical home value of the places I list, and its average commute is longer, 33.4 minutes. The Census Bureau counted 1,753 people in 2020 and estimates 5,870 in July 2025.
Austin itself
Austin itself has the 10-mile Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail loop around Lady Bird Lake, the spring-fed Barton Springs Pool in Zilker Metropolitan Park, and the Red Line's McKalla station for Q2 Stadium. The city's average commute is 23.7 minutes.
| City | Typical home value, Sep 30, 2026 | Average commute, minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeway | $733,247 | 28.8 |
| Austin | $491,960 | 23.7 |
| Liberty Hill | $479,477 | 34.1 |
| Cedar Park | $456,996 | 25.5 |
| Leander | $420,175 | 29.2 |
| Georgetown | $419,666 | 28.2 |
| Round Rock | $395,851 | 24.9 |
| Lago Vista | $392,375 | 34.7 |
| Pflugerville | $363,170 | 27.4 |
| Hutto | $328,297 | 29.3 |
| Jarrell | $250,230 | 33.4 |
| Bee Cave | Not broken out in this data | 22.1 |
Home values come from a national home value index for middle-tier single-family homes and condos, smoothed to take out month-to-month noise. Commute is the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 average for workers who commute. Steiner Ranch is part of Austin and is not broken out. Bee Cave is not broken out in this index either, so I will pull sold homes for you by street.
Here is how that table reads for a California buyer. Compare the numbers to the Los Angeles and San Francisco figures above. A typical Cedar Park home is below half of a typical Los Angeles metro home. Lakeway runs well above the rest of this list, so it is the one to look at if you want lake living and your budget is built around a California number.
The question I ask before I show you a house
Here is the third thing I promised. I ask: What does a normal Tuesday look like for you? Where do you need to be at 8 a.m., what do you want within ten minutes on a Saturday morning, and what would make you say, this is home?
That one question does more than any search filter. If you work from a home office, the answer is different than if you drive to a job site. If you want a trail at your back door, we start in a different place than if you want a downtown square to stroll. From your answer, I send you a short list of homes in places that fit, with what is around each one, instead of a flood of listings.
Why now
I can't tell you where prices or mortgage rates go next, and nobody honestly can. Here is what I can show you. Unlock MLS reported that rising mortgage rates slowed September sales in the Austin area, with closed sales down 14.8 percent from a year earlier and 13,465 active listings. Markets move month to month. The part you control is how ready you are. When you start a file today, the right home does not catch you off guard, because I am already working from your list.
Tell me where you are in your plan. I text you and send my agreement the same day.
The facts California buyers ask me most
Is Austin cheaper than California?
It depends on where in California and which Austin-area city. On a national home value index as of Sep 30, 2026, the typical Austin metro home was $414,273, compared with $950,020 in the Los Angeles metro, $1,120,379 in the San Francisco metro, $926,961 in the San Diego metro and $572,813 in the Sacramento metro. A typical value is not a price for any one home, so I compare real addresses.
Does Texas have a state income tax?
No. The Texas Constitution says the legislature may not tax the net incomes of individuals. California's individual income tax runs from 1.00 percent to 13.30 percent, according to the Tax Foundation's 2026 state profile.
Are Texas property taxes higher than California's?
On a statewide average, yes. The Tax Foundation's 2026 figures put the effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing at 1.40 percent in Texas and 0.70 percent in California. Texas has no state property tax, and local taxing units set the rates, so the bill depends on the address. I put the property tax picture next to the price before you fall for a house.
How hot does Austin get compared with coastal California?
Austin's official station averages 122.9 days a year at or above 90 degrees and 28.8 days at or above 100, based on NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals. Los Angeles International Airport averages 4.7 days at or above 90 and San Francisco International Airport averages 4.2. Those are coastal stations, so inland California is a different comparison.
What is the commute like in the Austin area?
The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 average one-way travel time to work is 23.7 minutes in the city of Austin, 25.5 in Cedar Park, 24.9 in Round Rock and 29.2 in Leander, compared with 30.7 in the city of Los Angeles and 30.4 in San Francisco. Averages hide rush hour, so I match homes to where you actually need to be.
Which Austin-area city is best for me?
I don't hand out a single best. I ask what a normal Tuesday looks like for you, where you need to be and what you want around you, then match you to places by commute and by what is there, like lake access, trails, parks, a historic downtown or shopping.
Do you rank schools or neighborhoods?
No. I don't rank schools or neighborhoods, and I don't make claims about who lives where. Each school district publishes its own information and boundaries, and I will point you to the official source for any address you are considering. What I can do is match homes to your commute and to what is around them, like trails, lakes, parks and shopping.
Do I need to be in Austin to get started?
No. Start your file, tell me where you are in your plan, and I will tell you what is best done in person. Then we plan your visit around a short list of homes that fit.
Who do you work for, and will you be at my closing?
My services are fiduciary in nature, so I can only work for clients. When you start a file, I am on your side of the table. Yes, I attend every closing, and I am there at the table with you.
Ready? Open your file and I will text you today. No pressure, just a clear list built around your life.
Important: I'm a Texas Realtor, not an attorney, tax advisor, lender, appraiser or inspector. The figures on this page come from the Texas Constitution and Comptroller, the Tax Foundation 2026 state profiles, NOAA climate normals, the U.S. Census Bureau, Unlock MLS, CapMetro, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the Texas Water Development Board, KXAN and city and county websites, were pulled on Nov 2, 2026, and can be revised or change. Nothing here is tax, legal, lending or appraisal advice, a price opinion for any home, or a recommendation of any company. Property tax and income tax outcomes depend on your situation and the address, so check with your own tax professional. I list places by what is there and by commute, and I do not rank or describe neighborhoods by who lives in them.
Related: Moving From Chicago to Austin · Moving From New York to Austin · Moving From Dallas to Austin
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