This Is Why Austin Is Now Shrinking Among Texas Boom

Austin, Texas had an incredible run of growing annually for 20 years, but as of the most recent data, the capitol of the Lone Star State has experienced its first year of outgoing population since the year that immediately following the attacks on 9/11. What is possibly the most surprising about Austin and Travis County going down in net migration is it happened during the biggest population boom in history as Texas gained about 9 million new residents between 2020 and 2022 according to this Forbes article.

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No, that is not saying that the 9+ million border encounters that have happened since President Biden took office all ended up in Texas. Although, it would be interesting to know how many that took advantage of crossing illegally are in Texas, and if their number is figured into the 9 million population increase that happened from 2020 to 2022.

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Upon further investigation of the data, it does appear that many that are leaving Austin and Travis County are not going far, and are part of the mass increases we have noticed in other Central Texas counties like Williamson and Bell. If you look at the giant growth that is also happening along Interstate 35 between Austin and San Antonio, it will not be long before A/SA is mentioned in a similar manner as D/FW is for Dallas and Fort Worth.

This Is Why Austin Is Now Shrinking Among Texas Boom

Between lack of space, soaring housing costs, and the convenient, adjacent, bountiful and cheaper land available is the biggest Austin experienced a net migration loss. Most of these people still consider their self Austin residents because they are still in the metro, they just aren't in the city anymore.