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austin is a young city and the architecture here is not very good.
Right now there is a trend for busy multi-colored/multi-material boxes.
We have about 5 different types of trees which are all small and scrubby except where they are watered or by a water source.
Based on your description of detroit you will like austin about as much as dallas.
Thank you. Doesn't matter how much I like it really but I am curious. I like to visit Dallas because they have great food and a lot of nice people but I wouldn't want to live there
* 22 is a fantastic age for Austin. Austin is a YOUNG town, even compared to other cities I've lived in, NYC, LA, Seattle, and San Francisco; Austin is not only full of younger people, it caters to young people. Even if you aren't young, people act young, they dress younger, they have tattoos and facial hair. That said, it can be the land of Peter Pan's as well.
* It's hot, but if you can find water and take your shirt off in the summer, it's heaven. It's humid compared to many parts of the country, but I've lived in worse. The biggest problem with the summer is that it's LONG. Mid-May to mid-Sep, it's just hot, really hot.
* Yes, Austin has areas. But the main thing is that it has burbs, big, boring burbs. A 22yo should never live out there, it's the land of big houses, costco, and Applebees. It's just like any other burb in any other part of the country.
* It might dust a little snow every 4 years, so no, it doesn't "snow"
* The river "town lake" isn't gross, but it is green, mostly (from what I understand) is the runoff of fertilizer from people trying to keep their lawns green. It's a great central place to kayak or paddle board or run around, but I wouldn't swim in it. Austin does have many public swimming pools for that kind of thing though.
* Austin's air is pretty clean, the winds typically go from the south, not bound by any mountains. There are pretty bad allergies. Pollen, cedar, mold and such
* Austin is quite safe. There are a couple of rougher areas, like Lamar and Rundberg, but even that is tame compared to most bad areas in other cities.
* Most of Austin is pretty, but you wouldn't know that from the highways. I35 is nasty, 183 is meh. Mopec and 360 are nice. Once you're into the central neighborhoods it's very green, and I think pretty.
* Cost of living can be bad. Housing in central Austin is probably in the top 10 in the country. Gas, groceries, and beer are cheap though.
* I've never really known the "music scene", but I do know that ALC and SXSW have a ton of music going on, and are a lot of fun. Bigger bands come through, sometimes, but it's not like Dallas or Houston.
> What are the coolest parts/things to do for a younger person? -- There's a lot of hip bars and restaurants for, tons of team sports, festivals, weekly events. I mean, your young, you don't have a family weighing you down. You want stuff to do, Austin's great for that.
* 22 is a fantastic age for Austin. Austin is a YOUNG town, even compared to other cities I've lived in, NYC, LA, Seattle, and San Francisco; Austin is not only full of younger people, it caters to young people. Even if you aren't young, people act young, they dress younger, they have tattoos and facial hair. That said, it can be the land of Peter Pan's as well.
* It's hot, but if you can find water and take your shirt off in the summer, it's heaven. It's humid compared to many parts of the country, but I've lived in worse. The biggest problem with the summer is that it's LONG. Mid-May to mid-Sep, it's just hot, really hot.
* Yes, Austin has areas. But the main thing is that it has burbs, big, boring burbs. A 22yo should never live out there, it's the land of big houses, costco, and Applebees. It's just like any other burb in any other part of the country.
* It might dust a little snow every 4 years, so no, it doesn't "snow"
* The river "town lake" isn't gross, but it is green, mostly (from what I understand) is the runoff of fertilizer from people trying to keep their lawns green. It's a great central place to kayak or paddle board or run around, but I wouldn't swim in it. Austin does have many public swimming pools for that kind of thing though.
* Austin's air is pretty clean, the winds typically go from the south, not bound by any mountains. There are pretty bad allergies. Pollen, cedar, mold and such
* Austin is quite safe. There are a couple of rougher areas, like Lamar and Rundberg, but even that is tame compared to most bad areas in other cities.
* Most of Austin is pretty, but you wouldn't know that from the highways. I35 is nasty, 183 is meh. Mopec and 360 are nice. Once you're into the central neighborhoods it's very green, and I think pretty.
* Cost of living can be bad. Housing in central Austin is probably in the top 10 in the country. Gas, groceries, and beer are cheap though.
* I've never really known the "music scene", but I do know that ALC and SXSW have a ton of music going on, and are a lot of fun. Bigger bands come through, sometimes, but it's not like Dallas or Houston.
> What are the coolest parts/things to do for a younger person? -- There's a lot of hip bars and restaurants for, tons of team sports, festivals, weekly events. I mean, your young, you don't have a family weighing you down. You want stuff to do, Austin's great for that.
Thanks this is great!
He probably will not have a problem with the heat. He loves to work out outside when it is blisteringly hot and humid (by our standards meaning 92 degrees and 70 to 100 percent humidity). Not sure why, the rest of us are sitting under a tree exclaiming how it is just to hot to move, and he wants to go run 10 miles. He says it lest him sweat out impurities and makes him feel great. So heat will not bother him too much hopefully. Housing will be the biggest issue. He was hoping to find a room for $400 but that is difficult. Looks like studio apartments start at $800 on the lowest end of the scale. He is checking roommates wanted ads to find something lower. That is always a gamble, but hey they are Texans, who cant get along with Texans?
I am hopping he will love it as much as he loved Boston and Philly.
He does have asthma. Hopefully the stuff in the air will not make him miserable.. He has been able to get by In Michgian, Pennsylvania, Botson, New York Canada, so hopefully this will be fine too
He does have asthma. Hopefully the stuff in the air will not make him miserable.. He has been able to get by In Michgian, Pennsylvania, Botson, New York Canada, so hopefully this will be fine too
thanks again
This may be problematic. Austin's allergies are rough. Mountain Cedar in the winter and oak in the spring knock people out cold. Mold gets bad for a few days after a rain. We had some rain earlier in the week and i've taken a good 10 Zytrec in the last few days just to help. From what I've read, it takes a few years for it to kick in, but after that all bets are off.
All good points made by everybody, but I'll add that Austin is rapidly becoming a "food city". There is a wide variety of non chain restaurants - and many choices besides BBQ & TexMex. One of my sons & his family are vegans, there's that too. I'm told there is a severe lack of good pizza & Italian though.
Also a ton of craft beer brewpubs & the like that seem to be crowded over the weekends, as are the food trucks around downtown. Eating out in Austin is a prime social event these days - not anything like it was in the early '60s when choices were very limited.
OP's son can eat as healthy or unhealthy as he chooses, and it's not all that expensive at most of those little venues either.
He probably will not have a problem with the heat. He loves to work out outside when it is blisteringly hot and humid (by our standards meaning 92 degrees and 70 to 100 percent humidity). Not sure why, the rest of us are sitting under a tree exclaiming how it is just to hot to move, and he wants to go run 10 miles. He says it lest him sweat out impurities and makes him feel great. So heat will not bother him too much hopefully. Housing will be the biggest issue. He was hoping to find a room for $400 but that is difficult. Looks like studio apartments start at $800 on the lowest end of the scale. He is checking roommates wanted ads to find something lower. That is always a gamble, but hey they are Texans, who cant get along with Texans?
I am hopping he will love it as much as he loved Boston and Philly.
He does have asthma. Hopefully the stuff in the air will not make him miserable.. He has been able to get by In Michgian, Pennsylvania, Botson, New York Canada, so hopefully this will be fine too
thanks again
Let me address some of your questions because I don't feel you were told the truth on them.
I've lived here for 13+ years and I can say that there are several "smog" days a year. There were more smog days in the early to mid 2000's than there are now. I don't know if that means Austinites are driving more environmental friendly cars or that the EPA relaxed its standards.
92 degrees is considered "warm" here in Austin. The low was 80 last night and high 100 and it was very humid. Usually though, when it's 100 it is drier. Later in the week the air will be coming from the Southwest so it will be drier.
Austin as a whole is not a pretty city. The downtown is starting to look magnificent from an architectural standpoint but there are roads like North Lamar that probably look like some of the bad parts of Detroit. The only difference is that our murder rate is among the lowest in the country. They don't generally mow medians here and so things tend to look unkempt. That being said, Austinites don't care. They value the culture more than a perfect look. Also, there are parts of the Hill Country that look like Beverly Hills, so there are nice portions.
There is not really much history here. Texas buffs will argue with me, but the only really historic cities in Texas are San Antonio and Galveston. My frame of reference is Louisiana and I grew up in a house that is over 120 years old so maybe my "historical standards" are high. That being said, there is a new architecture that is developing in Austin and I think in 100 years Austin will be known for great architecture and history.
The food here is still mainly based on barbecue, steak, and TexMex and that's fine by me. There are developing Italian, Cajun, Indian, and other cuisines but they are in their infancy. There is a live trailer truck culture where you can sample cuisines from around the world but many of the trailers are short lived. The restaurant business is tough.
When it comes to nature, if boating or cycling is your preference, it is paradise here. Many hills for cyclists with wonderful views and the Highland Lakes give plenty of boating opportunities. The great thing is that you can swim from April to late October here comfortably. I love sun and water so it's a good fit for me but if you like snow this is not the place.
Anyway, I think I addressed many of your questions.
Whoah! Looking for a room for $400? That will be tough tough tough.
As of May 2018, average rent for an apartment in Austin, TX is $1431 which is a 0.56% increase from last year when the average rent was $1423 , and a 1.26% increase from last month when the average rent was $1413.
One bedroom apartments in Austin rent for $1255 a month on average (a 0.4% increase from last year) and two bedroom apartment rents average $1572 (a 0.64% decrease from last year).
My niece used a roommate finder service and it worked well for her.
I know a group of kids who share a nice house by UT (Hyde Park) for $600/each. Four bedroom house, each has their own room. But $400 would be tough unless he looks farther out.
Whoah! Looking for a room for $400? That will be tough tough tough.
As of May 2018, average rent for an apartment in Austin, TX is $1431 which is a 0.56% increase from last year when the average rent was $1423 , and a 1.26% increase from last month when the average rent was $1413.
One bedroom apartments in Austin rent for $1255 a month on average (a 0.4% increase from last year) and two bedroom apartment rents average $1572 (a 0.64% decrease from last year).
He will need to look for multiple roommates or adjust his budget.
I know that rent is an average from the dirt cheap in the outskirts near 183/milk and the summer fancy downtown. My first apartment in 78723 was $851 a month. My new place in far south Austin in 78748 is $1095. These are both small one bedrooms.
There are lots of great groups in Facebook to find roommates.
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