Moving from Los Angeles to Austin?
The most popular CA-to-TX move of the past five years — Hollywood and Silicon Beach families packing for the Live Music Capital.
- 1,380 mi Distance
- 20 hr Drive time
- 42% lower Home prices
- $9,300/yr Tax savings on $100K
Austin's population grew by Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and roughly 50,000 LA transplants in the four years between 2019 and 2023 — driving Austin home prices up 70% in that span. Bumper stickers reading 'Don't California My Texas' became a regional inside joke during the peak influx years.
Why people move from Los Angeles to Austin.
- California's 13.3% top income tax versus Texas's zero — saves $25K+/year for senior tech earners
- Austin tech company explosion: Apple's $1B campus (2021), Tesla Gigafactory (2022), Oracle HQ (2020)
- Home prices roughly 40% lower than equivalent LA neighborhoods
- California capital gains taxed as ordinary income (up to 13.3%); Texas has none — major savings on RSU/equity events
- 'Live music capital' lifestyle appeals to creative LA transplants
- Mild winters preserved (no Northeast cold), with the gain of seasonal change
The money side of CA → TX.
Los Angeles
- Median home$950,000
- Income tax1%-13.3% progressive
- Cost index142
Austin
- Median home$550,000
- Income taxNone
- Cost index119
Things you'll want to know about your new city.
Bookmark this page — these are the icons of Austin, organized by what kind of day you're planning.
Outdoors & Recreation
- Zilker Park & Barton Springs — 350-acre urban park, 68°F natural spring pool year-round
- Lady Bird Lake — Hike-and-bike trail, kayaking, paddleboarding
- Mount Bonnell — 775-ft hill with city and Lake Austin views
- McKinney Falls State Park — Waterfalls and limestone bluffs in the city
Culture & Arts
- Texas State Capitol — Tallest state capitol building, free tours
- South by Southwest (SXSW) — Annual music/film/tech festival in March
- Austin City Limits Festival — October two-weekend music festival in Zilker Park
Family-Friendly
- Congress Avenue Bridge Bats — 1.5M Mexican free-tailed bats emerge nightly Mar-Nov
- Texas Memorial Museum — UT campus natural history museum
Nightlife & Entertainment
- 6th Street — Historic entertainment district
Austin's essential restaurants.
The dining list every Austin resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.
-
Franklin Barbecue BBQ East Austin
Brisket worth the 2-hour line
-
Uchi Japanese South Lamar
Tyson Cole's flagship sushi
-
Suerte Mexican East Austin
Heirloom corn masa, James Beard nominee
-
Odd Duck New American South Lamar
Farm-to-table sharing plates
-
Veracruz All Natural Tacos Multiple
Best migas tacos in town
-
Uchiko Japanese Rosedale
Uchi's farmhouse sister restaurant
-
Olamaie Southern Downtown
Modern interpretation of Southern classics
-
Loro Asian smokehouse South Lamar
Aaron Franklin's Asian-BBQ collab
Best Austin neighborhoods for Los Angeles transplants.
Mapped to the Los Angeles neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.
-
South Congress (SoCo) / Bouldin Creek
Walkable, food-and-music scene similar to Silver Lake or Venice; expect $900K-$1.4M for a small bungalow
-
East Austin (78702/78722)
Hip, food-forward, similar gentrification energy to Echo Park; $700K-$1.2M typical
-
Westlake Hills / Rollingwood
Top schools, hill-country feel, similar to Pacific Palisades premium tier; $1.5M-$3M+
-
Mueller
Planned mixed-use urban village, family-oriented, designed for walkability — closer to a Playa Vista experience
-
Cedar Park / Leander
Suburban with top schools, more home for the dollar at $450-700K — Apple, Dell campus accessible
-
The Domain (North Austin)
Apartment/condo dense, tech corridor, walkable retail — feels closest to West LA mixed-use
What daily life feels like in Austin.
Climate
Humid subtropical. Hot summers (95-105°F, peaks over 110°F). Mild winters (40-65°F, occasional freezes). Spring is glorious; fall arrives late. Sun 230+ days/year. Annual rainfall 35 inches with occasional flash floods.
- Summer90-105°F
- Winter45-65°F
- Sun days/yr228
- Rainfall34 inches
Walkability
- Walk Score42/100
- Transit Score33/100
- Bike Score56/100
Austin is car-dependent — most errands require driving.
Outdoors & Recreation
- Lady Bird Lake — kayak, paddleboard, hike-and-bike trail
- Greenbelt (Barton Creek) — 7-mile urban hiking corridor
- Hill Country day trips — wine country, Hamilton Pool, Krause Springs
- Lake Travis — boating and lakeside dining
- Austin's 250+ parks system; Zilker is the crown jewel
- Cycling — over 100 miles of urban bike lanes
What changes about your daily life.
- AC bills run $300-400/month June-September (worse than LA)
- You'll need a car everywhere — Austin's transit far behind LA's already-limited system
- Mexican food is great in Austin but different (Tex-Mex, not Cal-Mex). Adjust your expectations on burritos and salsa.
- Beach weekends now require a 3-hour drive to Galveston instead of 30 minutes to Santa Monica
- BBQ becomes part of your weekly rotation. Franklin's brisket really does justify the line.
- You'll discover Texas property tax is 1.6%+ — somewhat offsets the no-income-tax advantage for homeowners
How to drive there.
What it takes to move 1,380 miles.
- Full-service (3BR)$8,500-$18,000
- Container/PODS$4,500-$9,500
- DIY (26-ft truck)$2,500-$4,500
- Best monthsOctober-March (avoid Texas summer heat for both you and your goods; trucks without climate control are brutal in 105°F)
- Lead time4-8 weeks for binding estimate; 2-3 weeks for delivery window
USDOT-registered carrier required; both ends of route well-served by major van lines (Allied, Mayflower, North American, United) plus quality regional movers
Moving from Los Angeles to Austin: FAQ.
Will my California salary translate to Austin?
Mostly yes, with adjustment. Apple/Tesla/Oracle pay Austin tech roles at 80-90% of Cupertino/Bay Area for equivalent seniority. Combined with no state income tax and 40% lower housing, your effective income typically improves 15-30%. Junior-mid tech roles in Austin may pay less in absolute terms; senior+ roles often match Bay Area total comp.
Is Austin still the deal it was in 2018?
No — but it's still better than LA. Austin median home doubled from $310K (2018) to ~$550K (peak 2022) and has stabilized. LA median sits at $950K, so the relative discount is still 40%+. Property tax (1.6% effective) is the main cost LA transplants underestimate; budget that into your monthly carrying cost calculation.
How much will my LA furniture suit an Austin home?
Mostly fine, but think about scale. Austin homes (especially newer construction) tend to have higher ceilings and more open layouts than older LA bungalows; LA furniture often fits well or even feels small. Outdoor spaces typically larger in Austin — your patio/balcony pieces may need expansion. Consider selling LA-specific items (small condo-scale pieces) before move; cost per cubic foot to ship vs. buy-new-in-Austin often favors local replacement.
Tax move strategy for RSU/equity vesting?
If you have major liquidity events ahead (IPO vest, secondary sale, large RSU vest), establishing Texas residency BEFORE the event saves California's 13.3% on capital gains and ordinary income. CA aggressively audits 'snowbird' tax migrations — you need genuine residency: 183+ days in TX, TX driver's license, voter registration, primary residence sold or rented, banking shifted. For multi-million-dollar events, work with a CA tax attorney to ensure clean separation. Sloppy execution triggers back taxes and penalties.
How long does it take to feel at home in Austin after LA?
Most LA transplants report 6-18 months of adjustment. Things that feel different first: heat intensity, slower social pace, less cultural diversity than LA's depth in specific cuisines (Persian, Korean, Filipino, etc.), more car-centric daily life. Things that win you over: cost relief, friendlier neighbors, live music in walking distance, less traffic in absolute hours/week. About 15% of LA-to-Austin transplants reverse within 3 years; the other 85% report higher quality of life.
What's the best Austin BBQ for an LA transplant who's never had real Texas BBQ?
Start with Franklin Barbecue (East Austin) — yes, the line is real (2-3 hours), but it's the canonical Texas brisket experience. For lower-line alternatives: Terry Black's (Barton Springs Rd) and La Barbecue (East Cesar Chavez). Order: brisket fatty end, pork ribs, sausage. Skip the sauce until you've tasted unsauced — proper Texas brisket doesn't need it.
Let's find the right interstate mover for your Los Angeles-to-Austin move.
Free advice from people who know both markets. No obligation, no spam, no sales pressure.
Replies within 1 hour during business hours, 9am to 5pm ET, Mon-Fri.