Austin receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
San Marcos
Austin
Opportunity
61 · Top 41%
vs77 · Top 11%
Growth
66 · Top 23%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 41%
vs75 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 5%
vs63 · Bottom 24%
Schools
24 · Bottom 15%
vs54 · Top 46%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 25%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | San Marcos | Austin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 70,897 | 979,539 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,281 | $93,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,545 | $62,862 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,776/sq mi | 3,001/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $310,400 | $555,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,322 | $1,729 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 30.8% | 43.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.3% | 59.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.9% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 663 | 7,547 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 7.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -38.1% | -4.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.3" | 36.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 25.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 25.5 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 246 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.08 | 14.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.8% | 36.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.7% | 44.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.2% | 53.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
San Marcos
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Austin
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
San Marcos
58
Your Score
57
Area Score
Austin
70
Your Score
69
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: San Marcos, TX · Austin, TX · How this is calculated: methodology