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California Exodus Story Updated April 2026 Tax Foundation · BLS · ACS FinCalcs editorial

Cost of Living: Los Angeles vs Austin (2026)

The defining California-to-Texas migration corridor. CA's 13.3% top rate + 1.3% SDI on all wages (no cap, new 2026) vs TX's 0% income tax. LA dominates entertainment, aerospace, and Pacific Rim trade; Austin dominates tech (Apple, Tesla, Oracle, Meta). Cost of living delta is dramatic — Austin ~33% cheaper. Verdict at $200K: roughly $24,000/yr in Austin's favor. At $350K: ~$31,000/yr. The advantage scales aggressively at higher incomes — and California's residency audit aggressiveness is a real planning consideration.

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The tax math nobody else shows you.

Three taxes that shape the real comparison. Sources cited inline.

State income tax

Los Angeles9.3%graduated 1%-13.3% + 1.3% SDI
Austin0%no state tax

Austin wins decisively on income tax — and the gap widened in 2026. CA top rate 13.3% vs TX 0%, PLUS California's new uncapped SDI tax (1.3% on all wages, no income limit, effective 2024 per SB 951). At $200K: LA pays ~$14,000 state income tax + $2,600 SDI = $16,600/yr; Austin pays $0. At $350K: LA ~$28,000 + $4,550 SDI = $32,550/yr; Austin still $0. At $1M: LA ~$110,000+ in CA tax; Austin $0. The 2024 uncapped SDI is the meaningful new fact — pre-2024, high earners stopped paying SDI after a wage cap. Now there's no cap, hitting six-figure earners hardest.

Source: CA FTB, CA SDI (SB 951), TX Comptroller 2026

Property tax

Los Angeles1.1%1.10% effective (Prop 13 protected)
Austin1.8%1.80% effective (high)

Austin has higher property tax rate — 1.80% effective vs LA's 1.10%. This narrows the tax-flip advantage but doesn't eliminate it. On equivalent $700K homes: LA $7,700/yr (new buyer) vs Austin $12,600/yr — Austin $4,900/yr higher. But Austin's lower median home prices ($510K vs $920K) keep absolute property tax bills closer: $9,180/yr Austin vs $10,120/yr LA on actual median. Long-term LA owners benefit hugely from Prop 13's 2%/yr cap (often paying 50-80% below market property tax).

Source: LA County Assessor, Travis Central Appraisal District 2026

Sales tax

Los Angeles combined9.5%9.5% combined
Austin combined8.25%8.25% combined

Austin's 8.25% combined sales tax is meaningfully lower than LA's 9.5%. On $75K of taxable spending, Austin saves $940/yr. Both states exempt groceries. Small differential but adds up.

Source: CA Board of Equalization, TX Comptroller 2026

The 30-second answer at $100K salary
Los Angeles
$5,683/mo take-home
42% goes to rent ($2,400/mo)
$3,283/mo left
Austin
$6,321/mo take-home
25% goes to rent ($1,550/mo)
$4,771/mo left
Annual difference: $17,856 in Austin's favor.

Take-home estimates use 2026 federal+state brackets, single filer. Excludes pre-tax deductions and 401(k). Source: Tax Foundation, IRS 2026 brackets.

Try it with your salary.

Drag either slider. Both sides update with after-tax dollars and rent percentages calculated live.

Los Angeles, CA
$100,000
Take-home/month$5,913
Rent (1BR)$1,900 (40%)
Disposable/mo$4,013
Austin, TX
$81,000
Take-home/month$6,321
Rent (1BR)$1,500 (24%)
Disposable/mo$4,821
If you earn $100,000 in Los Angeles, you only need $81,000 in Austin to maintain the same disposable income.
Run my full take-home calc →

The full breakdown — including taxes.

The current Los Angeles-vs-Austin comparisons online skip taxes entirely. They're the biggest variable. Here's everything.

Category Los Angeles Austin Difference Why
Housing (2BR rent) $2,800/mo $1,850/mo -34% Austin ~34% cheaper rent; gap remains dramatic post-Austin correction
State income tax + SDI (on $200K) $16,600/yr $0/yr -$16,600 CA effective 7% + 1.3% SDI vs TX 0%
Property tax (on $700K home) $7,700/yr $12,600/yr +$4,900 LA 1.10% (new buyer) vs Austin 1.80% — only category LA wins
Sales tax (on $75K taxable spending) $7,125/yr $6,188/yr -$937 LA 9.5% vs Austin 8.25%
Groceries (weekly) $145/wk $110/wk -24% Austin ~24% cheaper; H-E-B keeps Austin grocery costs competitive
Transportation (yearly) $8,400/yr $8,400/yr -$0 Both car-dependent. LA traffic notoriously bad (47-min avg commute); Austin's traffic dense in core.

Both car-dependent. LA traffic notoriously bad (47-min avg commute); Austin's traffic dense in core.

What if you bought instead?

Live mortgage rate from Freddie Mac PMMS, week of 2026-04-21. Adjust the down payment to see real PITI for both cities.

20% — $72,000 (Los Angeles) / $66,000 (Austin)
Los Angeles
Median home$920,000
Mortgage (P+I)$1,800/mo
Property tax$537/mo
HO insurance$200/mo
Total PITI$2,454/mo
5-yr equity + appreciation+$84,200
30-yr wealth+$612K
Austin
Median home$510,000
Mortgage (P+I)$1,650/mo
Property tax$388/mo
HO insurance$200/mo
Total PITI$2,213/mo
5-yr equity + appreciation+$71,400
30-yr wealth+$498K
Austin has been appreciating faster (5.4% vs 4.1% historical 5-year), making it the wealth-building winner short-to-medium term. Long-term forecasts depend on local fundamentals.

Break-even on moving costs

If Austin wins by ~$1,488/month, how long until the move pays itself back?

$4,800
Break-even:
3 months
At $1,488/mo advantage to Austin, a $4,800 move pays back in ~3 months. After that, you keep the savings.

Move cost source: Average household move cost LA↔Austin (~1,375 miles) per AAA 2026 — major cross-country move. Excludes lost work time, deposits, broker fees.

Mortgage rates: 30-year 6.37%, 15-year 5.65%. LA: rising due to wildfire exposure; CA insurance markets are tightening with State Farm and Allstate stopping new policies in fire-prone areas. Austin: hail/wind exposure pushes insurance higher than typical TX markets. Appreciation projection uses 3% conservative forward estimate. Past performance not indicative of future returns.
Run mortgage affordability for both cities →

By the numbers.

Quotable stats that make the comparison concrete.

13.3% + 1.3% SDI
California top marginal rate (wages)
Highest in US; SDI uncapped 2024
0%
Texas state income tax rate
Constitutionally protected
$32,550+
Annual savings at $350K LA→Austin
State tax + SDI savings alone
+29.1%
Austin tech workforce growth 2018-2023
Fastest of any US metro
$510K
Austin median home price
vs LA's $920K — $410K cheaper
520
California residency audits 2023
FTB aggressive on departures

Why this comparison matters in 2026.

The macro picture before the math.

The Los Angeles to Austin migration is the canonical California-to-Texas relocation story of the 2020s. Tax differential is dramatic and getting worse for California: state income tax 13.3% top rate vs Texas 0%, plus California's new uncapped 1.3% State Disability Insurance tax (effective 2024 under SB 951). At $200,000 income, Austin saves $16,600/yr in California state taxes alone. At $350,000: $32,550/yr. At $1M+: $130,000+/yr. The advantage scales aggressively at higher incomes — and the 2024 SDI uncapping was a meaningful negative shift for California's high earners specifically.

But the LA-Austin decision is more than tax math. These are two genuinely different cities with different industry concentrations. Los Angeles dominates the global entertainment industry — Disney, Warner, Paramount, Sony, Universal studios plus CAA, WME, UTA talent agencies anchor an industry employing 700,000+ in the LA metro. LA also anchors Pacific Rim trade through the Port of LA + Long Beach (40% of US imports from Asia), aerospace (SpaceX, Boeing, Lockheed, JPL), and significant tech presence. Austin's economy is anchored to tech — Apple's North American HQ, Tesla's gigafactory (22,000+ employees), Oracle's HQ relocation, Meta, Dell, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, plus ~1,200 venture-backed startups. Austin tech workforce grew 29.1% from 2018-2023, the fastest of any US metro.

Housing differential remains dramatic despite Austin's 2022-2024 correction. Austin median home price hit $550K at its 2022 peak before correcting to $415-510K range in 2024-2025. LA median is ~$920K — still nearly double. Rent shows a similar gap: LA 2BR ~$2,800/mo vs Austin ~$1,850/mo (~34% lower). For LA renters and recent buyers, Austin offers $400K+ in housing arbitrage on equivalent properties. Long-term LA owners protected by Prop 13 face a counterbalance: their effective property tax is often 50-80% below current market (Prop 13 caps annual increases at 2%), and selling means losing this protection forever. For protected long-term LA owners, the math often says stay.

The 2026 verdict at $200K wages shows ~$24,000/yr in Austin's favor — driven by tax savings + lower cost of living. For most career trajectories outside entertainment, aerospace, or Pacific Rim trade, Austin wins decisively on financial math. California's residency audit aggressiveness (520 audits in 2023) means high-income movers need careful planning to avoid continued CA tax exposure after the move.

Five things that surprise people.

The framings most cost-of-living tools never mention. All sourced.

California's new uncapped SDI tax (2024-2026) hits six-figure earners that previously escaped it.

Effective January 2024 under SB 951, California removed the wage cap on State Disability Insurance (SDI). Before 2024, high earners stopped paying SDI after wages hit a threshold (~$153K in 2023). Now there's no cap — every dollar of W-2 wages is subject to 1.3% SDI tax. At $200K: SDI alone is $2,600/yr. At $350K: $4,550/yr. At $500K: $6,500/yr. This is on top of the 13.3% top income tax rate. The tax math for moving from California to Texas got materially worse for California in 2024, and the differential continues into 2026.

Source: California Employment Development Department, SB 951 →

Austin became the largest US tech hub outside the Bay Area — and California transplants drove most of it.

Austin's tech workforce grew 29.1% from 2018-2023 — the fastest growth of any US metro. Tesla's gigafactory employs 22,000+. Apple's North American HQ campus is the company's second-largest globally. Oracle relocated headquarters from Redwood City to Austin in 2020. Plus Meta, Dell, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, Indeed, Bumble, Google, and ~1,200 venture-backed startups. Austin Chamber data shows 30%+ of Austin's tech in-migration since 2020 came from California. The 'California to Austin' move is the canonical 2020s tech relocation.

Source: Austin Chamber of Commerce 2026, BLS metro tech employment data →

California's Franchise Tax Board aggressively audits departures — 520 residency audits in 2023 alone.

Leaving California cleanly takes documentation. The CA Franchise Tax Board (FTB) is notoriously aggressive about pursuing former residents who claim non-resident status while maintaining California ties. The state completed 520 residency audits in 2023, frequently triggered by: continued California real estate ownership, in-state family members, business interests, professional licenses, voter registration, or spending more than 183 days/yr in CA. For high-income movers ($500K+), getting domicile change wrong can mean owing CA tax for years after the move. Texas has no equivalent — but the California exit needs careful planning, not just a new lease.

Source: California Franchise Tax Board 2024 Annual Report, residency audit data →

Austin's 2022-2024 housing correction was real — and the gap to LA narrowed but remains dramatic.

Austin's median home price hit ~$550K at its 2022 peak before correcting to $415-510K range in 2024-2025. Migration deceleration was real — domestic in-migration to Austin dropped 37% in 2024 vs 2022 peak. The Austin-LA gap is meaningfully smaller now than it was 5 years ago, but still dramatic: Austin median ~$510K vs LA ~$920K. For LA buyers, Austin still offers $400K+ in housing arbitrage on equivalent properties. The correction made Austin more affordable for new movers — pre-2022 Californians who bought at peak experience pain.

Source: Zillow Home Value Index 2020-2025, Austin Board of Realtors →

California's Prop 13 creates a trap — long-term LA owners face huge hidden cost to leaving.

If you bought in LA before 2010, Prop 13 has capped your annual property tax increases at 2%. You may pay 50-80% below current market property tax — saving $10,000-$30,000+/yr. Selling means losing this protection forever. To buy back into Austin's market, you re-establish at full property tax basis — meaning your effective housing carrying cost may not improve as much as the income tax savings suggest. For long-term LA owners with substantial Prop 13 protection, the math often says: stay in LA. For renters, recent buyers, or post-2010 owners with less protection, Austin wins decisively.

Source: California Prop 13 Documentation, LA County Assessor →

Which city is right for you?

Five questions. Tax savings favor Austin decisively for most earners; lifestyle and career sector cut differently.

1 of 5
Career sector
2 of 5
Income level
3 of 5
Climate preference
4 of 5
Housing situation
5 of 5
What matters most

Which one wins for who?

The right answer depends on career sector, income, and housing situation:

Reader profile Winner Confidence Why
Single, $80K, renting Austin High $15K+/yr COL + tax savings
Entertainment / film professional Los Angeles Very High Industry concentration unmatched globally
Tech professional, $200K Austin Very High $16,600/yr CA tax savings + $400K cheaper home
Tech professional, $350K Austin Very High $32,550/yr CA tax savings + lower COL
$1M+ earner Austin Very High $130,000+/yr CA tax savings; FTB audit risk requires planning
Couple, $250K, planning to buy Austin High $400K cheaper home + tax savings
Long-term LA owner (Prop 13 protected) Los Angeles High Property tax protection + selling cost outweighs tax delta
Aerospace / Pacific Rim trade career Los Angeles Very High SpaceX, JPL, Boeing + Port of LA
Music / live entertainment career Austin High Live Music Capital + lower COL for creatives
Climate-sensitive (heat-averse) Los Angeles High Mediterranean climate vs Austin summers
Outdoor / Hill Country / lake lifestyle Austin High Greenbelt, Lake Travis, Barton Springs

Confidence is editorial judgment, not a precise statistical estimate. "Very High" = the math is decisive; "Low" = the answer depends heavily on factors specific to your situation.

When the standard verdict flips.

California's tax burden is the headline ($16K+/yr at $200K, $32K+/yr at $350K). But specific situations strongly favor LA:

Los Angeles becomes the better choice if:
  • Career in entertainment, film, TV, or talent representation
    LA hosts Disney, Warner, Paramount, Sony, Universal, NBCUniversal studios + CAA, WME, UTA agencies. Most A-list talent lives in LA. Industry depth in 700,000+ entertainment jobs is genuinely irreplaceable. Austin has a meaningful film industry (Austin Film Society, Robert Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios) but 1/30th LA's scale.
  • Career in aerospace, defense, or Pacific Rim trade
    SpaceX, Boeing, Lockheed, JPL, Aerospace Corporation all anchor major LA operations. Port of LA + Long Beach handle 40% of US imports from Asia. For aerospace engineering or international trade careers, LA has Pacific orientation that Austin lacks entirely.
  • Long-term LA owner protected by Prop 13
    If you bought before 2010, Prop 13 has capped your property tax at 2%/year increases — you may pay $20,000+/yr below current market property tax. Selling means losing this protection forever. For protected long-term LA owners, Prop 13 protection often outweighs the tax savings of moving.
  • Mediterranean climate priority
    LA's mild dry climate (avg 65-75°F, 284 sunny days/yr) with low humidity, mountain views, and beach access is genuinely unique. Austin's hot humid summers (100°F+ for 25+ days/yr) are a real lifestyle change. For Mediterranean climate preference, LA is irreplaceable.
Austin becomes the better choice if:
  • Wage earner $200K+ avoiding CA tax burden
    California's 13.3% top rate + new uncapped 1.3% SDI vs TX 0% creates massive savings: $200K saves $16,600/yr, $350K saves $32,550/yr, $500K+ saves $50,000+/yr. The 2024 SDI cap removal made the gap meaningfully wider for high earners.
  • Career in tech, software, or startups
    Austin is the largest US tech hub outside the Bay Area. Apple's North American HQ, Tesla's gigafactory (22,000+ employees), Oracle's HQ, Meta, Dell, Samsung, plus ~1,200 venture-backed startups. Tech workforce grew 29.1% from 2018-2023.
  • Music / live entertainment / creative career
    Austin self-styles as 'Live Music Capital of the World' with 200+ live music venues, SXSW, Austin City Limits. The music industry ecosystem is denser per capita than LA. For music careers, Austin has a real claim to dominance — and a meaningful Latino-influenced entertainment scene.
  • Buying a home / housing affordability priority
    Austin median home $510K vs LA $920K — $410K less debt for equivalent property. Rent ~34% lower. For affordability priorities, Austin wins decisively despite higher property tax rates.

What you are accepting either way.

Both cities have real downsides. Here's what you're accepting:

If you choose Los Angeles, you are accepting:
  • California tax burden grew worse in 2024. Top 13.3% + uncapped 1.3% SDI = up to 14.6% on wages. At $500K: $50K+/yr more in CA tax than TX equivalent. The new uncapped SDI is the meaningful 2024 change.
  • Wildfire insurance crisis. Insurance markets are collapsing in fire-prone areas. State Farm, Allstate stopped writing new policies. FAIR Plan tripled enrollment.
  • Worst US traffic. 47-minute average commute. Top 5 worst US traffic per INRIX. Multi-hour commutes typical for non-central living.
  • Highest US homelessness. LA County has 70,000+ homeless residents. Visible across most neighborhoods. Quality-of-life concern.
  • Earthquake risk. San Andreas fault runs through metro. Major earthquake (M7+) is statistically overdue. Preparedness costs are real.
If you choose Austin, you are accepting:
  • High property tax for buyers. Travis County 1.80% effective is high by national standards. On $510K home: $9,180/yr — actually higher absolute bill than many LA properties despite lower home price.
  • Migration deceleration. Austin domestic migration dropped 37% in 2024. Tech return-to-office reversing pandemic boom. Austin's growth story is no longer monotonic.
  • Hot humid summers. 100°F+ for 25+ days/yr. June-September can feel oppressive after Mediterranean LA climate.
  • Career narrowness outside tech. If you're not in tech, software, startups, music, or government, Austin's career market is narrower than LA's diversified economy.
  • Climate trajectory + ice storms. 2021 winter storm caused $130B+ in damages, exposed grid vulnerabilities. Climate change increasing severe weather frequency.

How sensitive is this answer? Highly — career sector and income level dominate.

  • Change career sector from generic to entertainment: LA wins decisively (industry concentration unmatched).
  • Change career sector to tech: Austin wins decisively (Apple/Tesla/Oracle/Meta/Dell magnet).
  • Change income from $200K to $1M: Austin advantage grows from $16K to $130K+/yr.
  • Account for Prop 13: long-term LA owners benefit massively; new LA buyers pay full rate.
  • Account for 2024 SDI uncapping: high earners' CA burden grew $2,000-$10,000/yr in 2024 alone.

Take this further.

Three tools that turn this comparison into a plan.

Run your take-home calc
Pre-filled: $100K Los Angeles vs $81K Austin. See your exact numbers.
Mortgage affordability
See what you can afford to buy in each city. Tax + insurance baked in.
Take the financial checkup
Get an A+ to F score across 7 areas before relocating. 4 minutes.

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Intra-California comparison

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Intra-Texas alternative

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Pacific tech tax migration

Take the next step.

Calculators and tools that extend this comparison with your specific numbers.

Mortgage affordability calculator
Run the buy-vs-rent math for Los Angeles or Austin with your specific salary and down payment.
Take-home pay calculator
Federal + state breakdown for any salary level. Compare CA vs TX take-home in detail.
Emergency fund calculator
Determine how much you need based on Los Angeles or Austin cost of living.
Retirement projections
Account for state tax differences in long-term savings projections.
State tax comparison tool
Side-by-side California vs Texas tax breakdown across income levels.
Property tax calculator
Estimate annual property tax bills at different home values — critical for Los Angeles/Austin comparison.
Methodology & sources

Page last reviewed: 2026-04-25. Next scheduled update: 2026-07-15.

Take-home pay calculations use 2026 federal tax brackets (single filer, standard deduction) plus the relevant state rate. They exclude pre-tax retirement contributions (401(k), HSA, FSA) and most local taxes that vary by employer.

Cost-of-living indexes use ACER (American Chamber of Commerce Researchers) and BLS regional CPI as primary sources, weighted across housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous categories.

Property tax figures are effective rates (median bill ÷ median home value) at the county level. They differ from nominal/posted millage rates because of homestead exemptions and assessment caps.

Mortgage projections assume 30-year fixed at the rate shown, conservative 3% annual appreciation, and standard PITI calculations. Past appreciation does not guarantee future returns.

Sources used in this comparison:

  • Tax Foundation 2026
  • CA Franchise Tax Board 2026
  • TX Comptroller 2026
  • LA County Assessor 2026
  • Travis Central Appraisal District 2026
  • BLS Q1 2026
  • ACS 5-Year 2024
  • Zillow Home Value Index April 2026
  • Numbeo COL Plus Rent Index 2026
  • CA SDI (SB 951) effective 2024-2026
  • Austin Chamber of Commerce 2026

All figures are estimates for general planning. Your specific situation depends on filing status, dependents, deductions, employer benefits, and neighborhood-specific costs. Use the linked FinCalcs tools for personalized calculations. Not financial or tax advice.

Frequently asked questions.

Real questions readers ask about Los Angeles vs Austin.

How much do you save moving from LA to Austin?
On $200K wages: ~$16,600/yr in California state income tax + SDI savings (CA effective 7% + 1.3% SDI vs TX 0%) plus ~$15,000 in lower cost of living. Total: ~$31,600/yr at $200K. At $350K: tax savings alone exceed $32,550/yr. At $500K+: $50,000+/yr. The advantage scales aggressively at higher incomes — and California's 2024 SDI uncapping made it materially worse for high earners.
What's the new California SDI tax that kicked in?
Effective January 2024 under SB 951, California removed the wage cap on State Disability Insurance (SDI). Before 2024, high earners stopped paying SDI after wages hit a threshold (~$153K in 2023). Now there's no cap — every dollar of W-2 wages is subject to 1.3% SDI tax. At $200K: SDI alone is $2,600/yr. At $350K: $4,550/yr. This is a meaningful new tax burden specifically for six-figure earners that didn't exist before 2024 — and it amplified the case for moving to no-tax states like Texas.
Is Austin's housing market still rising or correcting?
Correcting from 2022 peak, but still expensive relative to most TX. Austin median home price hit ~$550K at its 2022 peak before correcting to $415-510K in 2024-2025. Domestic migration to Austin dropped 37% in 2024 vs the 2022 peak. The Austin-LA gap is smaller than it was 5 years ago but still dramatic: Austin ~$510K vs LA ~$920K. For LA buyers, Austin still offers significant housing arbitrage — but it's no longer the bargain it was pre-pandemic.
Does California's FTB really audit people who move out?
Yes, aggressively. The California Franchise Tax Board completed 520 residency audits in 2023 alone. Triggers include: continued California real estate ownership, in-state family members, professional licenses, voter registration, business interests, or spending more than 183 days/yr in CA. For high-income movers ($500K+), getting domicile change wrong can mean owing California tax for years after the move. The exit needs careful planning — not just a new lease in Texas.
What's California's Prop 13 and does it matter for LA→Austin?
Yes, significantly for long-term owners. Prop 13 (1978) caps annual property tax increases at 2% for owners who don't sell. Owners who bought in the 1990s or early 2000s pay property tax on assessed values 50-80% below current market — saving $10,000-$30,000+ per year. Selling means losing this protection forever. To buy back into Austin's market means re-establishing at full property tax basis (1.80% in Travis County). For long-term LA owners with strong Prop 13 protection, the math often favors staying in LA. For renters, recent buyers, or post-2015 owners, Austin wins.
Is Austin's tech industry really bigger than LA's?
In tech specifically, yes by depth. Austin tech workforce grew 29.1% from 2018-2023 — fastest growth of any US metro. Apple's North American HQ campus is the company's second-largest globally. Tesla's gigafactory employs 22,000+. Oracle relocated headquarters from California to Austin in 2020. Plus Meta, Dell, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, plus ~1,200 venture-backed startups. LA's tech presence is meaningful (Snap, Disney digital, gaming) but significantly smaller and less concentrated than Austin's.
Will I miss LA's weather in Austin?
Most LA transplants do, particularly during Texas summers. LA averages 65-75°F year-round with low humidity and 284 sunny days/yr. Austin has hot humid summers — 100°F+ for 25+ days/yr — and occasional ice storms in winter (the 2021 winter storm caused $130B+ in damages). Austin springs and falls are genuinely beautiful, but the summers are a meaningful lifestyle change for Mediterranean-climate natives. Many California-to-Austin movers cite climate as their biggest unexpected adjustment.