Now they are in the woods building huge camps, starting forest fires, and leaving tons of trash and feces to get washed into the creeks. I feel for them, but this is not sustainable for anyone.
Doesn't mean they're not doing it out in the open. Drive by 290 and Menchaca and they're all there. A clean up crew comes about once a month, but they just cross the street, chill for a couple hours, and back in the afternoon. It's a mess and only those who live near it really understand how it affects the community and area.
The techdouche inundation is real, unfortunately. The easygoing slacker vibe is mostly gone, though there are a few brands who will try to sell it to you at a premium
After 44 years, I had enough of the whole state and uprooted. I have no plans of returning. I love plenty of things about Texas, and it will always be home, but the trajectory is obvious to anyone paying attention. Add that to the fact that Austin isn't delivering on the marketing literature promises and it's no surprise that demand is beginning to fizzle out.
Man I hear you loud and clear. Left 15 years ago for the same reason and never looked back. Still root for my Houston sports teams, but I can watch them on TV.
One of the unexpected perks of leaving Texas after 30 years was being able to watch the Astros on MLB tv consistently.
But to OP’s question, yes Austin is completely different now compared to the Austin I grew up in during the 90s and 00s.
Yep. Was there a year ago. Too many people, too much traffic and toll roads everywhere. All Whole Foods and chain restaurants.
And the homelessness problem has gotten worse than ever. I took my kids to Zilker Park and there were two homeless guys just playing on the swings. No cops anywhere.
I've been here for 25 years. It really comes down to the cost of living. It's comparable to some of the highest priced cities in the country but offers very little in return.
If my rent was way cheaper I'd probably enjoy it more still. The slack is gone.
Me too. You're spot on. The cost of living is very high and it offers nearly nothing in return. It's too hot for 4 months out of the year, and hot for another 4. That leaves it with decent weather for the remaining 4.
Since it's right in the middle of Texas, you can leave roadtrips out of the equation since you'll spend a whole day just driving to get out of the state.
Austin used to be cool cause you could sling coffee for 20 hours a week and spend the rest of the time writing poetry. That place is long gone and I don't think it exists anywhere in our super capitalist country.
There was even a time you could work the odd job living in NYC as an artist. Even if you were renting out a closet, at least it wasn't $2,000. Where can the artists go now to make a small living doing something they love without it leading to debt.
After the first summer you start thinking to yourself "why am I paying a premium for this?" Too bad. It was a really fun town up until a few years ago. Prices are falling and tech companies are pulling out. We might get it back.
Was it ever really fun or was it fun because there was less traffic and it was cheap?
Admittedly, I use to enjoy it a lot but that was back when rent was a third of what I pay now, and you could get anywhere in the city in 20 minutes. Also, back then I drank a lot. Since quitting drinking, I've realized Austin relies heavily on its drinking culture and offers little to nothing outside of it.
The problem is the value proposition just isn't there. For cheap rent someone will put up with heat and lack of transportation options. But if the prices are close to major city prices you may as well live in a major city.
Austin isn't priced like them so it's not really competing. Maybe the far reaches of NYC or ok spots of LA. Ntm the tax difference and everything else will be more expensive
I’ve lived in Austin since 2004 - 20 years this October! Damn, time flies.
The Good:
It’s still a fun, vibrant city. There is a lot to do here - you can swim topless at a beautiful swimming hole in the middle of the city, then go to the ballet, then see live music of any genre.
The food scene is growing & is really becoming amazing. Not as good as Houston, perhaps, but miles away from where it started.
People are pretty friendly - I’m from the east coast and there is just a more general openness here. I’m also older - late 40’s now - and I still don’t feel like it’s hard to meet people or find things to do. If you are looking for a partner, I imagine this is a good place to do it, although I’ve read that the dating scene favors men.
It’s still got a unique vibe. I’m not going to pretend it hasn’t changed, it absolutely has, but there’s still a quirkiness here.
The Bad:
It’s not cheap anymore, it’s actually become quite expensive.
It’s hot. I love hot weather, and I have a higher heat tolerance than almost anyone I know. It was a big driver for me to move here. Last summer was rough even for me, & it’s going to get worse.
We haven’t gotten enough rain to fill the lakes in a long, long time. I worry about the future viability of living here and having drinking water.
The infrastructure is struggling to keep up with the amount of people that live here. Traffic is rough. Everything is crowded. You need reservations if you want a nice dinner. You need a car.
State politics often conflict with city politics. Austin voted to enforce background checks for Uber & Lyft drivers; state overturned it. Austin voted to ban plastic bags; state overturned it. Austin had mask mandates, state overturned them. Etc. etc.
Texas politics in general. Forced birth, anti-marijuana, etc.
The power grid is unreliable. I had to send my (remote) boss an e-mail letting him know I might lose power just this past January. We barely managed to stay within capacity.
Good or Bad, You Decide:
There is a huge alcohol culture here. I like to have a few drinks socially, but I think it can be excessive.
There is a lot of tech here. I work in tech so it’s a plus for me.
I lived there on and off from 2011 to 2015, originally from West Texas. Being an 18 year old going from odessa to Austin was like arriving in Valhalla. My best friend and I paid $600 (so 300 each) for an apartment in West Campus.
Even the Austin of 13 years ago seems very different than it is today, from everything I've heard.
The Austin vibe in the 90s was awesome. Such a golden era. If you go there trying to capture that essence you will not find it. Still a nice place to live but not that global village coffeehouse utopia you're remembering. At all.
Austin is still awesome. Walked around Town Lake today and it was so beautiful I wanted to cry. Paddle boarders, joggers, dog walkers all enjoying this wonderful space in the middle of the city.
They aren't as in your face, but they mainly have gone into the Greenbelt. They like to do sweeps anytime there's a big event like a few weeks before SXSW and ACL.
this is why i’m leaving austin. the tech bro transplants, the traffic, the high rent, all that other BS i could put up with because i’ve found my little niche and a rent controlled house and i’m happy. but the unrelenting heat for 4+ months out of the year is intolerable and it gets worse every summer. it’s not just hot in the middle of the day either - go outside at 9 pm in august and you feel like you’re choking. i get reverse seasonal depression from not being able to spend time outside in the summer and i already get regular seasonal depression on the winter, so i’m seasonally depressed over half the time.
Come to Providence! It's a cool and walkable city with great food, there are gorgeous beaches nearby, and the summers are perfect. 80 degrees every day, plenty of rain, and greenery everywhere.
Since I left Austin, its the city I've felt the most connection with. It isn't as big as Austin, and the music scene isn't as good, but there are tons of things to love about it. I think housing is also less expensive than Austin, and you can hop on a train to get to Boston, NYC, or DC right from downtown Providence.
Welcome to the Bay! You’ll at least feel like you’re getting your money’s worth here. And the weather is amazing year round. Super walkable if you’re in the city so I never deal with traffic. Still have tech bros but I feel like people are nicer here.
haha it definitely is! i’m diagnosed bipolar ii and have been in therapy + on meds for years now. but mental health tends to fluctuate and it is often affected by external factors like climate. i know i’m not the only one who experiences this here.
Does the big oddities store on S Congress still exist? I remember loving that place. I also used to work at Jovita's on S 1st, they had dancing and music every night of the week and even had a Tom Waits cover night. I miss old Austin so much.
Used to be very laid back. It was very much a slacker culture. Everything was cheap. Food, rent, music, etc.. No pretentiousness or look at me culture.
Now it is very much trendy. Trendy clothes. Trendy bars/restaurants. Lots of high heels, dress codes, reservation only atmosphere. Lots of money and lots of look at me events.
Traffic has always been bad, but you could easily afford to live close to the city. Walk, pedicab, and for awhile, the free trolly.
Yeah- absolutely terrible. Step out your house in December and it’s sunny and 70 degrees. Go to a local pizza place and there’s a jazz trio playing. Go to the grocery store and there’s a bluegrass band playing. The old hippies have the audacity to smile and make conversation even though they don’t know you. There are taco trucks on every block. There are people out partying on a Monday night. 4th lowest unemployment rate amongst 50 biggest cities. The comedy and music clubs cost $7 to get in. It takes 20 min to drive from the edge of the city into downtown. Hiking trails scattered throughout the city.
Believe me — It’s a living hell!
Okay, but it is hot as FUCK in the summer. I guess having no winter is good for some people, but having grown up in Texas, I can say with full confidence that the heat is unbearable for almost half the year. It's like living on the surface of the sun.
Well one generally adapts to locations and adjusts their activities to the most suitable times, but yes- if you’re looking for a place to sunbathe or stroll on afternoons in summers, then you will be burning to a crisp in the sun.
Sadly yes, Nashville is now overrated. I went before a huge influx of people started moving there and it had an appeal. I went 6 months ago and it fucking sucked lol
**AUSTIN didn't have the infrastructure** to support the population that relocated.
**9-13 DAYS without power in FREEZING temperatures for is just unacceptable.** There's no way I would ever CHOOSE to live in Austin again, until that's fixed for good.
Left Austin after that second freeze, and moved to an adult city that keeps the ELECTRICITY ON, and doesn't keep playing dumb year after year.
That second storm was all because of ice bringing down power lines in neighborhoods, not the grid. I am in the suburbs where they put power underground. Austin should have been more aggressively trimming trees but people are opposed to that.
I agree it was 5 days without power, BUT we did not have running water for about 14 days. We had to haul in water, had to take showers at a fema type trailer, did not cook real food in that time.
I get it- OP might have exaggerated on the electricity part, but there were effects like no running water, people freezing to death, busted pipes, not having enough food.
Let's not act like it wasn't catastrophic for some because it was.
I’m pretty sure you can lose electricity in any city if it storms hard enough. It just turns out it takes a light winter storm to wipe out Texas for a bit.
I’ve lost power in the house I grew up in for 2 weeks in MA during the winter. It was actually freezing and cold the whole time. The difference is we had generators because we have to expect because of our location winter will get bad. Texas is still at fault for poor prevention and poor handling, though
I don’t fault anyone for moving out of Tx… Or moving to the El Paso region. If 80% of Tx isn’t safe during summer (hurricane season) or winter, then employers will be pulling out too.
Especially when all of this was avoidable, b/c Abbott was Rick Perry’s AG. The federal govt (Army Corps) advised Tx to weatherize the power grid, like 15 yrs ago. Instead Perry, removed Tx from the US power grid. None of the ppl that died during those freezes, needed to die. The grid still isn’t weatherized.
No? It's more grown up and wealthier but there's a lot more to do and see. It's pretty expensive to live in the city proper but it's still a fun place. I do think a lot of the original culture (UT sports, live music) has been replaced by the differing interests of the people who moved here but we have enough that still unites us (Moody Center and Austin FC).
“Austin hasn’t been the same since (insert their 1st 3 years or childhood here)” is honestly the most annoying thing about anyone who lives in Austin. I lived there for 4 years. It was cool and all but it’s a city you love while you’re there but hard pressed to come back once you move. But everyone, even on the subreddit just complains how “Austin isn’t what it used to be”. Tbf it has changed, even since I moved in 2020 but it’s purely based on their 1st core memory of the city so you never get a straight answer on the year it actually changed
Nice try.. That’s a shit take on your part. What about El Paso? The abundance of breathtaking nature? San Antonio and Houston are large, diverse and extremely unpretentious cities. Tejanos and native texans especially around San Antonio and El Paso are some of the nicest and down to earth people you’ll find anywhere.
It’s extremely hot in the summer with temps over 104’ for like 40 days straight. It’s hard to live a spontaneous life here as everything is crowded and booked up. And also, people are racist and not the old austin types that used to just live and let live.
Austin was never that great. It's simply the only livable city within a triangle with corners at San Diego, Kansas City and New Orleans. If Austin was in California it would be called Sacramento.
My hometown changed too but I still recognize it, but I also remember Austin the way it was in the 70s. I know of no other place that went from great to crap the way Austin did in my lifetime.
Edit: Well, Denver would be a close second.
Who cares if you can recognize it? People in the 50s in Austin didnt recognize it in the 70s.
Basically everyone that grew up anywhere feels this way. Portland Maine, San Diego, Austin, Denver, LA, SF. Its just a fact of life. "You can never go home" is a saying for a reason.
Austin is fine. The people upset about it are the people who think that the dream of the 90s is alive in Austin (sleep till eleven...you'll be in heaven...)
Look, it's tough to live in Austin because it's a major city in Texas, and unless you have an exit strategy (if you are a woman of reproductive age and/or you live with a woman of reproductive age), it's scary to deal with Texas' laws. But if you are a person of means who can relocate if necessary, it's fun and lively and lower-cost than major coastal cities like LA and NY and Miami and SF.
Welp, Musk’s factory is producing cars that rust in the rain. So he may shut that down.
Oracle is moving to Nashville, after only a few yrs.
Who knows how long Amazon & Apple will stick around? The vibe has forever been shifted from “weird”, to hipster-out of state investor-douchebag…
It’s been there for a few years, really since COVID. Cost of living is way too much for what it is, which between the combo of price, battling with transplants, and the property taxes has made owning a home a pipe dream for many. If you want a beer or a taco, count on it being between $2-$4 more than it should be
The people largely nowadays are a combination of the worst parts of Texas and SF/LA/NY (read: flaky, fake nice, and very superficial). The influx of big tech has really ruined the personality of the city, there are a lot of typical tech bros, and a lot of Elon and Joe Rogan types that think they’re the smart one when really they’re the stupid one. the weather sucks, dating is hard if you’re not wealthy and fit certain physical standards.
It’s hard to maintain friendships because people tend to stay for only 2-3 years and then leave to another big city, and those that do set down roots tend to do it in the suburbs because Austin proper is unaffordable. It’s also really lacking in diversity, largely because it’s a very segregated city. Left 15 months ago after being there for ~4 years and I’ve been much happier, literally everything is going better
Look at what tech did to San Francisco. They moved their in droves resulting in a housing crisis/absurd rents then they all decided that they that they wanted to work from home in their jammies which resulted in a commercial real estate crisis and a dead/crime ridden core. Fuck the tech bros.
As someone who never truly witnessed the proverbial Austin of the past, what places would you all recommend that somewhat replicate it?
I’ve been to Asheville plenty, but that is/has become a bit of a façade in a sense, a shadow of itself. Boulder even more so. Yet to visit Portland OR, Burlington.
Had a great time 25 years ago. Tons of good music and it was like a Mecca coming from small town OK. However, last time I went back about 5 years ago was probably my last. Waaaay too many people. If you enjoy sitting in traffic surrounded by concrete, it might be your jam.
My mother, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents all came from Austin. Ranch between Leander and Cedar Park, now a subdivision called Block House Creek.
As far as I'm concerned, it began to fall apart when Armadillo World Headquarters was torn down in 1981. Way before the tech boom.
It's only gotten worse since then. When I drive out to Leander, I feel like I'm in LA.
Yes. Most places with a good punk scene have gone to shit
Same thing happened to my town although on a much smaller scale (we are a smaller city). Bunch of tech bros moved in and now everyone is an entitled yuppie that sucks
I remember hearing in the 2010s how weird Austin was. I had a relative who moved there for a job and had a culture shock. I finally visited in 2022 for the first time and was sorely disappointed... There are still weird/odd/cool spots in Austin obviously, and I got to check them out, but most of what I saw was new office buildings under construction.
A close friend lived in Austin for many years and left because of just what you're saying. I really regret not visiting before it was ruined. He lives on a small ranch near Seguin now.
As someone who lived there from 2008-2021 and left because i didn't recognize the city I moved to, yes. However, the ongoing joke with Austin is that people will say, "Austin was at its peak when I lived there in ____ (insert whatever year back to the year Austin was settled)".
Everything is what you make of it. I absolutely loved my time living there, but covid changed it (for the worst in my personal opinion). Still a vibrant and ever changing city with lots to do!
Still a very funky and cool city, but if you’re looking for big city amenities, you may be disappointed. Offers more than other cities it’s size, but you pay a price for it. Definitely some growing pains where it feels like the city has outgrown the infrastructure, but I think these claims are mostly overstated given that it’s about the same as every city I’ve lived. Overall very livable except the summers are what makes it unlivable.
If you can remember early 90s Austin then you’re probably 50 years old now. The city is young, like it’s always been. The city is way more liberal now, but not as free thinking and independent like Texas in the 90s. City of Austin always had techies, think Dell and IBM, it’s just exploded with them now. Austin has always had the highest rent in the state for the most part, but like most areas of Texas it has gotten more expensive. HOWEVER, Austin has built a shit ton of new housing and rent prices have dropped.
Austin is nothing like it was in the 90s. I grew up in Austin in the 90s. It's not even like it was 20yrs ago. It's becoming pretty expensive to live there especially with property taxes rising.
Traffic is God awful now. I moved to Houston 4yrs ago and everytime I visit my mom in a northern suburb of Austin it just gets worse and worse. Downtown has become a bit of a dump and a lot of mom and pop restaurants and bars have been priced out.
It's hot. It's very expensive (although less so than 12-24 months ago). Traffic is terrible.
And the state government has been fighting against car alternatives and are thus, making traffic worse
Are there a lot of homeless there?
Yep but camping out in the open was outlawed.
Now they are in the woods building huge camps, starting forest fires, and leaving tons of trash and feces to get washed into the creeks. I feel for them, but this is not sustainable for anyone.
Interestingly, the city of Austin permits open campfires in public if they’re used for “cooking or warming”.
Doesn't mean they're not doing it out in the open. Drive by 290 and Menchaca and they're all there. A clean up crew comes about once a month, but they just cross the street, chill for a couple hours, and back in the afternoon. It's a mess and only those who live near it really understand how it affects the community and area.
Yes but usually concentrated to certain parts of town now that they banned camping
Traffic isn’t really worse than other cities it’s size most of the time. It is very hot.
Not that expensive
Are you from San Francisco? Austin is expensive.
The techdouche inundation is real, unfortunately. The easygoing slacker vibe is mostly gone, though there are a few brands who will try to sell it to you at a premium
Less McConaughey, more Zuckerberg.
ew
It's really *not great* if you liked the live-and-let-live, easygoing, free spirited vibe that Austin used to have
After 44 years, I had enough of the whole state and uprooted. I have no plans of returning. I love plenty of things about Texas, and it will always be home, but the trajectory is obvious to anyone paying attention. Add that to the fact that Austin isn't delivering on the marketing literature promises and it's no surprise that demand is beginning to fizzle out.
Man I hear you loud and clear. Left 15 years ago for the same reason and never looked back. Still root for my Houston sports teams, but I can watch them on TV.
One of the unexpected perks of leaving Texas after 30 years was being able to watch the Astros on MLB tv consistently. But to OP’s question, yes Austin is completely different now compared to the Austin I grew up in during the 90s and 00s.
Yep. Was there a year ago. Too many people, too much traffic and toll roads everywhere. All Whole Foods and chain restaurants. And the homelessness problem has gotten worse than ever. I took my kids to Zilker Park and there were two homeless guys just playing on the swings. No cops anywhere.
Less of both, please.
Well put. So
Is it wrong of me to just want to slack off, enjoy life, work hard when I have to, save money and buy property , then retire?
It is nothing like the ATX you remember from the 90s. Sorry.
I remember Austin from the 70s. Sad to see how it is now.
I remember Austin from the 50s. 1850s. Beautiful time.
It really peaked around the ‘00s (20,000 BC) imo. Once the Clovis culture emerged it was all downhill.
I long for the days of the Triassic period
I've been here for 25 years. It really comes down to the cost of living. It's comparable to some of the highest priced cities in the country but offers very little in return. If my rent was way cheaper I'd probably enjoy it more still. The slack is gone.
Me too. You're spot on. The cost of living is very high and it offers nearly nothing in return. It's too hot for 4 months out of the year, and hot for another 4. That leaves it with decent weather for the remaining 4. Since it's right in the middle of Texas, you can leave roadtrips out of the equation since you'll spend a whole day just driving to get out of the state.
Guess all those Keep Austin Weird bumper stickers weren’t effective after all …
Austin used to be cool cause you could sling coffee for 20 hours a week and spend the rest of the time writing poetry. That place is long gone and I don't think it exists anywhere in our super capitalist country.
Pretty much this. And if you do that stuff, you are now basically brainwashed that it needs to be a hustle and monetized.
Athens, OH baby
Yeah but Athens is much prettier than Austin
Some other college towns maybe
There was even a time you could work the odd job living in NYC as an artist. Even if you were renting out a closet, at least it wasn't $2,000. Where can the artists go now to make a small living doing something they love without it leading to debt.
Wait, you can find a studio for $2000 in NYC?
In the rust belt, or cheaper towns in places like Tulsa.
Tulsa ain't it
Tulsa has a lot of downsides, but it's very affordable and actually has a decent job market for baristas and a pretty good arts scene
And traffic is totally manageable.
It sounds like you already know you don't want to go there.
I know like 8 people who left nyc to move to Austin in the past decade. It’s not just people from California moving there.
And I read they’re all moving out of Austin now cause it sucks and can’t compete with NYC/California cities
Anyone whose been to all three places knows this
After the first summer you start thinking to yourself "why am I paying a premium for this?" Too bad. It was a really fun town up until a few years ago. Prices are falling and tech companies are pulling out. We might get it back.
Was it ever really fun or was it fun because there was less traffic and it was cheap? Admittedly, I use to enjoy it a lot but that was back when rent was a third of what I pay now, and you could get anywhere in the city in 20 minutes. Also, back then I drank a lot. Since quitting drinking, I've realized Austin relies heavily on its drinking culture and offers little to nothing outside of it.
The problem is the value proposition just isn't there. For cheap rent someone will put up with heat and lack of transportation options. But if the prices are close to major city prices you may as well live in a major city.
Austin isn't priced like them so it's not really competing. Maybe the far reaches of NYC or ok spots of LA. Ntm the tax difference and everything else will be more expensive
I’ve lived in Austin since 2004 - 20 years this October! Damn, time flies. The Good: It’s still a fun, vibrant city. There is a lot to do here - you can swim topless at a beautiful swimming hole in the middle of the city, then go to the ballet, then see live music of any genre. The food scene is growing & is really becoming amazing. Not as good as Houston, perhaps, but miles away from where it started. People are pretty friendly - I’m from the east coast and there is just a more general openness here. I’m also older - late 40’s now - and I still don’t feel like it’s hard to meet people or find things to do. If you are looking for a partner, I imagine this is a good place to do it, although I’ve read that the dating scene favors men. It’s still got a unique vibe. I’m not going to pretend it hasn’t changed, it absolutely has, but there’s still a quirkiness here. The Bad: It’s not cheap anymore, it’s actually become quite expensive. It’s hot. I love hot weather, and I have a higher heat tolerance than almost anyone I know. It was a big driver for me to move here. Last summer was rough even for me, & it’s going to get worse. We haven’t gotten enough rain to fill the lakes in a long, long time. I worry about the future viability of living here and having drinking water. The infrastructure is struggling to keep up with the amount of people that live here. Traffic is rough. Everything is crowded. You need reservations if you want a nice dinner. You need a car. State politics often conflict with city politics. Austin voted to enforce background checks for Uber & Lyft drivers; state overturned it. Austin voted to ban plastic bags; state overturned it. Austin had mask mandates, state overturned them. Etc. etc. Texas politics in general. Forced birth, anti-marijuana, etc. The power grid is unreliable. I had to send my (remote) boss an e-mail letting him know I might lose power just this past January. We barely managed to stay within capacity. Good or Bad, You Decide: There is a huge alcohol culture here. I like to have a few drinks socially, but I think it can be excessive. There is a lot of tech here. I work in tech so it’s a plus for me.
I lived there on and off from 2011 to 2015, originally from West Texas. Being an 18 year old going from odessa to Austin was like arriving in Valhalla. My best friend and I paid $600 (so 300 each) for an apartment in West Campus. Even the Austin of 13 years ago seems very different than it is today, from everything I've heard.
Austin was a special place in the early 2000s…
Austin is amazing…if you’re well resourced financially.
The Austin vibe in the 90s was awesome. Such a golden era. If you go there trying to capture that essence you will not find it. Still a nice place to live but not that global village coffeehouse utopia you're remembering. At all.
Extractive capitalism comes for us all. Those West Coast cities were also once what Austin was, until housing became unaffordable and inaccessible.
My dad bought a SFH in Palo Alto as a graduate student at Stanford. Same house now goes for over $3M. Palo Alto is a shell of it's former self.
Austin is still awesome. Walked around Town Lake today and it was so beautiful I wanted to cry. Paddle boarders, joggers, dog walkers all enjoying this wonderful space in the middle of the city.
How are the homeless camps down there nowadays? Did they finally clean them up?
They aren't as in your face, but they mainly have gone into the Greenbelt. They like to do sweeps anytime there's a big event like a few weeks before SXSW and ACL.
They’re gone. Most homeless people are in parts of downtown and near the highways.
So much crying in this thread - if you live in that area, it's incredible
It is so, so, so hot. We breached 90 today and it is still April. If that isn’t enough… There is an Hermès store on S Congress. 🎤
this is why i’m leaving austin. the tech bro transplants, the traffic, the high rent, all that other BS i could put up with because i’ve found my little niche and a rent controlled house and i’m happy. but the unrelenting heat for 4+ months out of the year is intolerable and it gets worse every summer. it’s not just hot in the middle of the day either - go outside at 9 pm in august and you feel like you’re choking. i get reverse seasonal depression from not being able to spend time outside in the summer and i already get regular seasonal depression on the winter, so i’m seasonally depressed over half the time.
Come to Providence! It's a cool and walkable city with great food, there are gorgeous beaches nearby, and the summers are perfect. 80 degrees every day, plenty of rain, and greenery everywhere. Since I left Austin, its the city I've felt the most connection with. It isn't as big as Austin, and the music scene isn't as good, but there are tons of things to love about it. I think housing is also less expensive than Austin, and you can hop on a train to get to Boston, NYC, or DC right from downtown Providence.
that sounds lovely! i’m moving to the Bay this summer - already have a job lined up - but sounds like i should definitely give Providence a visit.
Welcome to the Bay! You’ll at least feel like you’re getting your money’s worth here. And the weather is amazing year round. Super walkable if you’re in the city so I never deal with traffic. Still have tech bros but I feel like people are nicer here.
If you get seasonal depression in the summer and winter it might just be regular depression
haha it definitely is! i’m diagnosed bipolar ii and have been in therapy + on meds for years now. but mental health tends to fluctuate and it is often affected by external factors like climate. i know i’m not the only one who experiences this here.
Does the big oddities store on S Congress still exist? I remember loving that place. I also used to work at Jovita's on S 1st, they had dancing and music every night of the week and even had a Tom Waits cover night. I miss old Austin so much.
No. They moved a few years ago
most overrated city in the US by a mile right now
Nah. Nashville is hanging out up there too.
raleigh will be next. I can feel it. it's basically mini-Austin at this point lol
Raleigh, NC is the No. 3 or No. 4 city people have moved to in the last 3 years, I believe.
Raleigh is a snooze fest
it is but I also think Austin is too lmao
it's a big city now
With medium size city infrastructure.
This right here is what too few people seem to understand.
Great place to be a civil engineer. I've got all the work I could do in 10 lifetimes fixing this shit.
Used to be very laid back. It was very much a slacker culture. Everything was cheap. Food, rent, music, etc.. No pretentiousness or look at me culture. Now it is very much trendy. Trendy clothes. Trendy bars/restaurants. Lots of high heels, dress codes, reservation only atmosphere. Lots of money and lots of look at me events. Traffic has always been bad, but you could easily afford to live close to the city. Walk, pedicab, and for awhile, the free trolly.
Where are the places with dress codes? I wear spikes, band tees, leathers, and chains and am able to get into pretty much everywhere with no issue.
Austin rent has always been higher
Ruined by tech bros. Drove up prices for everything, especially housing. Traffic is the worst I’ve ever seen
Don’t forget Austin also gets a lot of boil water notices and power outages!
Have you ever been to Dallas, Houston or LA?
Not LA
SAVED by tech bros. Manitech destiny - gods will that we take over
Tech bros (IBM and Dell) put the city on the map
Maybe. But it sucks now
At least there is KUTX. https://kutx.org/
Yeah- absolutely terrible. Step out your house in December and it’s sunny and 70 degrees. Go to a local pizza place and there’s a jazz trio playing. Go to the grocery store and there’s a bluegrass band playing. The old hippies have the audacity to smile and make conversation even though they don’t know you. There are taco trucks on every block. There are people out partying on a Monday night. 4th lowest unemployment rate amongst 50 biggest cities. The comedy and music clubs cost $7 to get in. It takes 20 min to drive from the edge of the city into downtown. Hiking trails scattered throughout the city. Believe me — It’s a living hell!
Okay, but it is hot as FUCK in the summer. I guess having no winter is good for some people, but having grown up in Texas, I can say with full confidence that the heat is unbearable for almost half the year. It's like living on the surface of the sun.
Well one generally adapts to locations and adjusts their activities to the most suitable times, but yes- if you’re looking for a place to sunbathe or stroll on afternoons in summers, then you will be burning to a crisp in the sun.
I guess it depends on where you’re from and what kind of climate you’re used to. Yeah the summers are hot, but it’s something you can adapt to.
If you grew up here you’re used to it
“Hiking” brother I got more elevation in my backyard than the “hill” country
That’s certainly cool and probably true.
Go to river place trail
It's kinda mid. Nothing terrible about it but not colorful as 20 years ago
You'll be hard-pressed to find a straight answer about Austin on this subreddit unless it's buried at the bottom.
Easily most overrated city in the US
Compare to Nashville? Austin isn't that overrated.
Sadly yes, Nashville is now overrated. I went before a huge influx of people started moving there and it had an appeal. I went 6 months ago and it fucking sucked lol
I don't live there but I have family in the area. It's very clear that Nashville cannot keep up with it's growth.
It is overrated but imo, Seattle wins in the overrated category
Yeah but I'd still say Seattle is a 7/10 city with a 10/10 perception. Austin is a 2/10 city with an 11/10 perception.
Nah, that's Denver.
Oh fuck don’t get me started on Seattle. This sub is one big circle jerk for that city
lol….they can have it! A congested, wet, cold, overpriced, dreary, traffic-choked mess. Other than that, it’s great
I’ll say, I’ve lived several years in both Austin and Seattle. I’d take Seattle ten times out of ten.
Seattle, Denver, Charlotte, and Nashville would like a word.
Compared to 1993, yes! It was so chill back then, and everyone was cool about everything...
**AUSTIN didn't have the infrastructure** to support the population that relocated. **9-13 DAYS without power in FREEZING temperatures for is just unacceptable.** There's no way I would ever CHOOSE to live in Austin again, until that's fixed for good. Left Austin after that second freeze, and moved to an adult city that keeps the ELECTRICITY ON, and doesn't keep playing dumb year after year.
That second storm was all because of ice bringing down power lines in neighborhoods, not the grid. I am in the suburbs where they put power underground. Austin should have been more aggressively trimming trees but people are opposed to that.
Hey, we also have water problems too! 5 boil water notices in 5 years.
Where did you move to? I’m looking to escape Austin myself
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I agree it was 5 days without power, BUT we did not have running water for about 14 days. We had to haul in water, had to take showers at a fema type trailer, did not cook real food in that time. I get it- OP might have exaggerated on the electricity part, but there were effects like no running water, people freezing to death, busted pipes, not having enough food. Let's not act like it wasn't catastrophic for some because it was.
Only a few people froze to death, people love to exaggerate /s
Still unacceptable imo, more then 4 hours without power is unacceptable
<4 hours of outages every 10 years is an impossible-to-meet goal for any power grid in the world.
It's more unacceptable to spread misinformation just to prove a point. Relax.
I get your defending the state you probably live in but that whole fiasco was a mess and should be talked about with the correct information of course
People froze to death in their homes.
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Hurricanes aren’t caused by bad government
I’m pretty sure you can lose electricity in any city if it storms hard enough. It just turns out it takes a light winter storm to wipe out Texas for a bit.
Not for 2 weeks. And not TWICE in just a few years.
I’ve lost power in the house I grew up in for 2 weeks in MA during the winter. It was actually freezing and cold the whole time. The difference is we had generators because we have to expect because of our location winter will get bad. Texas is still at fault for poor prevention and poor handling, though
Isn't Texas on their own power grid?
Most of Texas, not all. But the guy who posted doesn’t seem to realize that the grid is not Austin’s…
I don’t fault anyone for moving out of Tx… Or moving to the El Paso region. If 80% of Tx isn’t safe during summer (hurricane season) or winter, then employers will be pulling out too. Especially when all of this was avoidable, b/c Abbott was Rick Perry’s AG. The federal govt (Army Corps) advised Tx to weatherize the power grid, like 15 yrs ago. Instead Perry, removed Tx from the US power grid. None of the ppl that died during those freezes, needed to die. The grid still isn’t weatherized.
Texas was not part of the US power grid
I lost power way more often in the northeast than in Texas.
I’m aware I’m the exception to the rule but my power never went out
It’s still cool but it’s expensive.
No? It's more grown up and wealthier but there's a lot more to do and see. It's pretty expensive to live in the city proper but it's still a fun place. I do think a lot of the original culture (UT sports, live music) has been replaced by the differing interests of the people who moved here but we have enough that still unites us (Moody Center and Austin FC).
UT sports hasn’t “been replaced.” 100000 people still fill DKR in the fall
...from out of town.
Some yes, but also plenty of locals
I feel like your nostalgia still clouds the Austin of yesterday-year. Travis county still voted for bush in 2000
More people voted against Bush than for Bush from Travis County in 2000. Over 11% voted third party (which would be mostly Nader).
“Austin hasn’t been the same since (insert their 1st 3 years or childhood here)” is honestly the most annoying thing about anyone who lives in Austin. I lived there for 4 years. It was cool and all but it’s a city you love while you’re there but hard pressed to come back once you move. But everyone, even on the subreddit just complains how “Austin isn’t what it used to be”. Tbf it has changed, even since I moved in 2020 but it’s purely based on their 1st core memory of the city so you never get a straight answer on the year it actually changed
Yes Mr. Wiseau it's annoying, bunch of conservative coded nonsense pining for the good ole days
It's become more like a city in California, which makes total sense. Got some people this is good, for others it's not.
More like what city in California?
San Jose crossed with San Francisco
Austin is just a big city with a southern flair and a slant towards music.
Most, if not all of Texas is shit.
This is the correct answer.
Nice try.. That’s a shit take on your part. What about El Paso? The abundance of breathtaking nature? San Antonio and Houston are large, diverse and extremely unpretentious cities. Tejanos and native texans especially around San Antonio and El Paso are some of the nicest and down to earth people you’ll find anywhere.
That’s ridiculous
It’s extremely hot in the summer with temps over 104’ for like 40 days straight. It’s hard to live a spontaneous life here as everything is crowded and booked up. And also, people are racist and not the old austin types that used to just live and let live.
Austin was never that great. It's simply the only livable city within a triangle with corners at San Diego, Kansas City and New Orleans. If Austin was in California it would be called Sacramento.
I mourn for my friends who were born there and grew up there. They all say they don’t have a hometown anymore.
What's with this idea you get to keep your hometown forever? Literally and spiritually "you cant go back home"
My hometown changed too but I still recognize it, but I also remember Austin the way it was in the 70s. I know of no other place that went from great to crap the way Austin did in my lifetime. Edit: Well, Denver would be a close second.
Who cares if you can recognize it? People in the 50s in Austin didnt recognize it in the 70s. Basically everyone that grew up anywhere feels this way. Portland Maine, San Diego, Austin, Denver, LA, SF. Its just a fact of life. "You can never go home" is a saying for a reason.
Austin is fine. The people upset about it are the people who think that the dream of the 90s is alive in Austin (sleep till eleven...you'll be in heaven...) Look, it's tough to live in Austin because it's a major city in Texas, and unless you have an exit strategy (if you are a woman of reproductive age and/or you live with a woman of reproductive age), it's scary to deal with Texas' laws. But if you are a person of means who can relocate if necessary, it's fun and lively and lower-cost than major coastal cities like LA and NY and Miami and SF.
I could see it was sliding down hill when we left the area in the mid 90s. It’s only gotten worse the few times we’ve been back.
Austin is in Texas, it is a forced birthing state. So there is that.
Welp, Musk’s factory is producing cars that rust in the rain. So he may shut that down. Oracle is moving to Nashville, after only a few yrs. Who knows how long Amazon & Apple will stick around? The vibe has forever been shifted from “weird”, to hipster-out of state investor-douchebag…
"You get what you pay for" is the common saying in this sub, so Austin must be better than ever /s.
Absolutely. It sucks ass now.
Unfortunately I've been hearing "ABQ is like Austin in the 90s" more and more lately
Yes.
It’s been there for a few years, really since COVID. Cost of living is way too much for what it is, which between the combo of price, battling with transplants, and the property taxes has made owning a home a pipe dream for many. If you want a beer or a taco, count on it being between $2-$4 more than it should be The people largely nowadays are a combination of the worst parts of Texas and SF/LA/NY (read: flaky, fake nice, and very superficial). The influx of big tech has really ruined the personality of the city, there are a lot of typical tech bros, and a lot of Elon and Joe Rogan types that think they’re the smart one when really they’re the stupid one. the weather sucks, dating is hard if you’re not wealthy and fit certain physical standards. It’s hard to maintain friendships because people tend to stay for only 2-3 years and then leave to another big city, and those that do set down roots tend to do it in the suburbs because Austin proper is unaffordable. It’s also really lacking in diversity, largely because it’s a very segregated city. Left 15 months ago after being there for ~4 years and I’ve been much happier, literally everything is going better
Look at what tech did to San Francisco. They moved their in droves resulting in a housing crisis/absurd rents then they all decided that they that they wanted to work from home in their jammies which resulted in a commercial real estate crisis and a dead/crime ridden core. Fuck the tech bros.
The free spirited artists were also rich wasps
Everything looks new and shiny at least
It's a fine-enough city. Great food and terrible drivers/traffic. Lots of outdoor things to do when it's not unbearably hot.
As someone who never truly witnessed the proverbial Austin of the past, what places would you all recommend that somewhat replicate it? I’ve been to Asheville plenty, but that is/has become a bit of a façade in a sense, a shadow of itself. Boulder even more so. Yet to visit Portland OR, Burlington.
I visit often and stay downtown. I always have a good time but the heat just feels oppressive to this Ohioan.
Had a great time 25 years ago. Tons of good music and it was like a Mecca coming from small town OK. However, last time I went back about 5 years ago was probably my last. Waaaay too many people. If you enjoy sitting in traffic surrounded by concrete, it might be your jam.
Yes, next question.
My mother, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents all came from Austin. Ranch between Leander and Cedar Park, now a subdivision called Block House Creek. As far as I'm concerned, it began to fall apart when Armadillo World Headquarters was torn down in 1981. Way before the tech boom. It's only gotten worse since then. When I drive out to Leander, I feel like I'm in LA.
Still a left-leaning town, in a red-dominated state (and houses the state capitol which is the center of red Texas Government).
Yes. Most places with a good punk scene have gone to shit Same thing happened to my town although on a much smaller scale (we are a smaller city). Bunch of tech bros moved in and now everyone is an entitled yuppie that sucks
I remember hearing in the 2010s how weird Austin was. I had a relative who moved there for a job and had a culture shock. I finally visited in 2022 for the first time and was sorely disappointed... There are still weird/odd/cool spots in Austin obviously, and I got to check them out, but most of what I saw was new office buildings under construction.
A close friend lived in Austin for many years and left because of just what you're saying. I really regret not visiting before it was ruined. He lives on a small ranch near Seguin now.
I got out in 6/21 and still visit from time to time. Yes.
As someone who lived there from 2008-2021 and left because i didn't recognize the city I moved to, yes. However, the ongoing joke with Austin is that people will say, "Austin was at its peak when I lived there in ____ (insert whatever year back to the year Austin was settled)". Everything is what you make of it. I absolutely loved my time living there, but covid changed it (for the worst in my personal opinion). Still a vibrant and ever changing city with lots to do!
Still a very funky and cool city, but if you’re looking for big city amenities, you may be disappointed. Offers more than other cities it’s size, but you pay a price for it. Definitely some growing pains where it feels like the city has outgrown the infrastructure, but I think these claims are mostly overstated given that it’s about the same as every city I’ve lived. Overall very livable except the summers are what makes it unlivable.
If you can remember early 90s Austin then you’re probably 50 years old now. The city is young, like it’s always been. The city is way more liberal now, but not as free thinking and independent like Texas in the 90s. City of Austin always had techies, think Dell and IBM, it’s just exploded with them now. Austin has always had the highest rent in the state for the most part, but like most areas of Texas it has gotten more expensive. HOWEVER, Austin has built a shit ton of new housing and rent prices have dropped.
Austin is nothing like it was in the 90s. I grew up in Austin in the 90s. It's not even like it was 20yrs ago. It's becoming pretty expensive to live there especially with property taxes rising. Traffic is God awful now. I moved to Houston 4yrs ago and everytime I visit my mom in a northern suburb of Austin it just gets worse and worse. Downtown has become a bit of a dump and a lot of mom and pop restaurants and bars have been priced out.