Camp Swift is part of the Austin area. This page covers the whole metro.
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
Ranks the towns around it by your budget and what you love doing.
A first look. Only 4 resident comments about Austin so far, so this is a starting point, not the full picture. The page grows as more residents talk about it.
Tends to struggle
The vibe
Bike friendly transit
"One resident noted that the bus bike racks were rarely full, only a couple of times."
Rapid growth strain
"One resident warned that traffic and construction are bad due to the city's rapid growth."
Limited cultural reach
"One resident noted that Austin's distinct culture only extends about 10 miles outside the city center before it becomes the rest of Texas."
One resident said Austin relies heavily on travel nurses and has poor management, noting the city was traditionally known for the worst medical care in Texas.
In their words
“Ascension Health, a doctor. Mainly travel nurses, poor management, etc. Austin traditionally was known for the worst medical care in Texas...”
Of about 381,863 rented homes in the Austin area, 73% rent for under $2,000 a month and 95% for under $3,000.
Under $1,000: 9%
$1,000 to $1,499: 32%
$1,500 to $1,999: 32%
$2,000 to $2,499: 16%
$2,500 to $2,999: 6%
$3,000 or more: 5%
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Hiring movers
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
Moving in as a renter
The middle rented home in the Austin area rents for $1,500 to $1,999 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $3,000 to $3,998 before you get the keys.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
Your first weeks in Texas
Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Texas DMV.
25,445 students · 14.1 students per teacher · 33 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.
Childcare and colleges
Daycare and preschool
Texas keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
Age
Daycare center
Home daycare
Infant (under 2)
$229/week
about $11,900 a year
$206/week
about $10,700 a year
Toddler (2)
$214/week
about $11,100 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)
$209/week
about $10,900 a year
$194/week
about $10,100 a year
School-age
$197/week
about $10,200 a year
For an infant at a center: $229/week here, $174 across TX, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 10% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.
U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,029 students · $14,703 a year
Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.
IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.
The facts behind it
Typical home value
$417,977
What a typical home sells for across the Austin area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 2% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $98 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 98.1 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Average commute
27 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
16 within 15 miles
The nearest is about 3.5 miles from the town center. The largest is about 505,000 sq ft.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $4,085 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in TX. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
12 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
17.3 per 100,000 people a year
236 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. TX average: 14.2 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 23.8 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 3,240 people without housing in the Austin/Travis County area: 1,663 in shelters and 1,577 outside, up from 2,975 in 2024. TX: 9 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$97,169
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.54% of home value a year
About $1,540 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
No state income tax
TX's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Photo:Vuemobi Media
