WHAT HAPPENED?

Austin plummets on list of best places to live in new national report

Austin has managed to hang on to its title of the Best Place to Live in Texas for 2023, so at least we still have that going for us.

Photo by Jeremy Doddridge on Unsplash

In a shocking turn of events, which might not surprise some, Austin has fallen from grace in U.S. News and World Report's "Best Places to Live" ranking for 2023-2024. Maybe the city took a page out of Icarus' book on flying too close to the sun in touting how great it is ...

Austin was previously the No. 1 place to live in America for three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019, and began to slip in 2020 when it failed to remain on top and came in at No. 3. It's been downhill since then, with Austin falling down to No. 5 in 2021, then tumbling out of the top 10 to No. 13 in 2022. Now, the Live Music Capital of the World has dropped even further down the list to No. 40. That hurts.

The report takes a look at several different metrics to determine their rankings, including quality of life, housing affordability, desirability, and job market strength.

To determine why Austin fell so low, you have to examine its overall rating, which was a 6.4. The city's desirability, job market strength, and quality of life were all similarly ranked at 6.5 or 6.6, and its highest rating was a 7.3 for net migration, which is the measurement of people moving in or out of the city. The high number is to be expected even with residents' waning interest in proper city living, and increased desire for living in the suburbs. And when household bills in Austin cost 25 percent more than the national average, it makes one question the true quality of life provided here.

The city's lowest rating was a 6 for it's value, aka its housing affordability and price parity. Latest reports show Austin's housing market is stabilizing, and “home prices are moderating" according to 2023 ABoR president Ashley Jackson.

On the bright side, Austin has managed to hang on to its title of the Best Place to Live in Texas for 2023, so at least we still have that going for us. San Antonio came in at No. 2 on that list, and Dallas-Fort Worth taking No. 3. Rounding out the top five is Killeen in No. 4, and El Paso at No. 5.

Here's how other Texas cities faired in 2023's Best Places to Live report:

No. 103 – San Antonio, down from No. 83 last year
No. 113 – Dallas-Fort Worth, down from No. 32 last year
No. 122 – Killeen, down from No. 108 last year
No. 128 – El Paso, down from No. 124 last year
No. 131 – Beaumont, down from No. 109 last year
No. 132 – Corpus Christi, up from No. 133 last year
No. 134 – Brownsville, unchanged from last year
No. 137 – McAllen, up from No. 138 last year
No. 140 – Houston, down from No. 59 last year

The full report can be found on U.S. News and World Report's website.

reports US News & World Report austin

What Gives?

12 ways to give back during Austin's 2024 holiday season

Photo from Mobile Loaves & Fishes Facebook page.

A helpful elf from last year's Mobile Loaves & Fishes' Community First! Village of Lights & Holiday Market.

For many people, the holidays are a time of gifts and merriment; for others, this time of year is a stark reminder of how tough things are. Austinites who have the time and resources to help out might be thinking about volunteering this holiday season. And there are tons of volunteer opportunities around Austin.

One initiative to get momentum going is Giving Tuesday, a global day of action and donation on December 3 that helps people organize by region and cause. Amplify Austin, a nonprofit database, offers some local tips here. But CultureMap's list below goes beyond Tuesday.

We've sifted through many local nonprofits and drives and picked out 12 awesome organizations that are currently open to donations and volunteers this holiday season, helping local humans and animals alike.

Austin Farm Sanctuary co-owner Chris Fuller-Wigg with one of the farms' many rescued cows. Photo from austinfarmsanctuary.org.

Austin Farm Sanctuary
1165 Old Pin Oak Rd.
Paige, Texas
Austin Farm Sanctuary (AFS) is about an hour outside of Austin. AFS rescues farm animals from neglectful or dangerous situations and provides them with a safe forever home, with 95 acres of sprawling fields and pastures. Their 240 rescued residents need a lot of care, and AFS is looking for volunteers and donations. More info at austinfarmsanctuary.org.

Austin Public Library
Various branches
Austinites who are passionate about literacy and access to information can help protect those rights via the Austin Public Library system. There are lots of ways to help out, and the library emphasizes that its best volunteers "enjoy interacting with the general public and providing great customer service." A full list of open volunteer positions is available at library.austintexas.gov.

Austin Pets Alive!
1156 West Cesar Chavez
Austin is one of the largest no-kill cities in the US, which means a lot of work for our local animal shelters. APA! is always looking for volunteers and supplies, especially in the winter months when it gets cold. If you're an animal lover, there are many ways to volunteer your time, foster an animal, or donate money and supplies to the shelter during the holiday season.

Caritas of Austin
611 Neches St.
Caritas of Austin has a mission to end homelessness and make sure people have a safe home, healthy groceries, jobs that provide a reliable living wage, and educational opportunities. Volunteers can help by serving lunch at their community kitchen, providing administrative support for staff members, and helping with donation deliveries and pick-ups, which tend to amp up over the holidays. Volunteers need to sign up online first.

Coats for Kids
Junior League of Austin Impact Center
5330 Bluffstone Lane
From December 2-11, The Junior League of Austin (JLA) is holding its 38th annual Coats for Kids distribution. This annual donation drive provides more than 30,000 warm winter coats to children in need in Central Texas. You can help by donating money, coats, or your time. Learn more at jlaustin.org.

Inside Books Project
3106 East 14 1/2 St
The mission of this Austin-based organization is to send free reading materials to the incarcerated people of Texas. The org also publishes resource guides and short-form instructional pamphlets for incarcerated folks. You can help Texas' only books-to-prisoners program by reading inmates' book requests, selecting books for them, and putting together packages of books. You can either volunteer in-person or simply help by donating books.

The crew from Keep Austin Beautiful Day 2019. Photo from keepaustinbeautiful.org

Keep Austin Beautiful
55 N IH 35 Frontage Rd
Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB) is one of the better-known outdoor volunteer programs in the city; Austinites have probably seen their volunteer groups cleaning up local parks or providing educational programs. Getting involved is easy; there's no need for an orientation. Volunteers will simply sign up online and show up for their shift.

Mobile Loaves & Fishes
9301 Hog Eye Rd Suite 950
Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) is a local Christian social outreach ministry, whose goal is to provide affordable, permanent housing and community for folks coming out of homelessness. It operates the Community First! Village, one of the city's leading initiatives to providing affordable and sustainable housing. MLF has a variety of volunteer options including group serve days, helping out at the village, or virtual actions from home. More information at mlf.org.

Operation Blue Santa
The Austin Police Department's Operation Blue Santa started back in 1972, when a couple of police officers discovered that some families in their district didn't have gifts or food for their children during the holidays. The program began with these two officers distributing gifts to about 20 families, and for more 50 years the program has continued, now supporting more than 5,000 local families. Austinites can help by collecting and dropping off toys at one of many locations around town.

Out Youth
909 E 49th 1/2 St
Out Youth has been providing a safe space for Austin's youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities for more than 30 years now. This local organization provides a Youth Drop-In Program for kids and young adults of all ages to socialize, receive support, and even participate in workshops. It also has a library full of LGTBQIA+ literature and media, and year-round events. Volunteers can help by spreading the word about Out Youth, donating, or working directly on in-person projects. Volunteer capacity may be affected by the temporary closure of the organization's community center after a bad water leak, but that's all the more reason for volunteers to check in.

Toys for Tots
Various drop-off locations
Toys for Tots collects new, unwrapped toys throughout October, November, and part of December, in order to deliver Christmas gifts to kids who otherwise wouldn't receive them. Austinites can help by donating new, unused toys at one of many drop-off locations throughout the city or donating funds online.

SAFE Alliance
3706 South 1st Street
SAFE Alliance is a partnership between SafePlace and the Austin Children's Shelter, and its mission is to "stop abuse for everyone by serving the survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and exploitation, and domestic violence." Volunteers can help by putting together SAFE Kits and Activity Boxes, or providing meals for survivors at the SAFE Cares drop in center. More information at safeaustin.org.

volunteering nature kids families lgbtqia+homelessness animals