107-675: Travis County is located in Central Texas . As of the 2020 census , the population was 1,290,188. It is the fifth-most populous county in Texas . Its county seat and most populous city is Austin , the state's capital. The county was established in 1840 and is named in honor of William Barret Travis , the commander of the Republic of Texas forces at the Battle of the Alamo . Travis County
214-714: A boil-water advisory which would last until water pressure was restored on February 23. Beginning January 30, 2023 the City of Austin experienced a winter freeze which left 170,000 Austin Energy customers without electricity or heat for several days. The slow pace of repairs and lack of public information from City officials frustrated many residents. A week after the freeze and when Austin City Council members were proposing to evaluate his employment, City Manager Spencer Cronk finally apologized. On Thursday February 16, 2023, Cronk
321-443: A cotton gin engine was located downtown near the trains for "ginning" cotton of its seeds and turning the product into bales for shipment. However, as other new railroads were built through the region in the 1870s, Austin began to lose its primacy in trade to the surrounding communities. In addition, the areas east of Austin took over cattle and cotton production from Austin, especially in towns like Hutto and Taylor that sit over
428-551: A hospital district , was established in 2004. Brackenridge Hospital was originally built as the City-County Hospital in 1884 but Travis County ended its share of the ownership in 1907. In 2017 Brackenridge was replaced by the Dell Seton Medical Center . 30°20′N 97°47′W / 30.33°N 97.78°W / 30.33; -97.78 Central Texas Central Texas is
535-579: A median household income of $ 68,350 per year, and a per capita income of $ 38,820 per year. 13.9% of the population lived below the poverty level . The county's largest employers are governments (the State of Texas, the US Federal Government, Travis County and the City of Austin) and public education bodies. Other major employers are concentrated in industries relating to semiconductors , software engineering and healthcare . Travis County
642-635: A diverse mix of government employees, college students, musicians, high-tech workers, and blue-collar workers . The city's official slogan promotes Austin as "The Live Music Capital of the World", a reference to the city's many musicians and live music venues, as well as the long-running PBS TV concert series Austin City Limits . Austin is the site of South by Southwest (SXSW), an annual conglomeration of parallel film , interactive media , and music festivals . The city also adopted " Silicon Hills " as
749-592: A facility to produce its Selectric typewriters. Texas Instruments was set up in Austin two years later, and Motorola (now NXP Semiconductors) started semiconductor chip manufacturing in 1974. A number of Fortune 500 companies have headquarters or regional offices in Austin, including 3M , Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) , Agilent Technologies , Amazon , Apple , Dell , Facebook (Meta) , General Motors , Google , IBM , Intel , NXP Semiconductors , Oracle , Tesla , and Texas Instruments . With regard to education, Austin
856-485: A flood on April 7, 1900. In the late 1920s and 1930s, Austin implemented the 1928 Austin city plan through a series of civic development and beautification projects that created much of the city's infrastructure and many of its parks. In addition, the state legislature established the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) that, along with the city of Austin, created the system of dams along
963-544: A freeze are December 1 and February 15, giving Austin an average growing season of 288 days, and the coldest temperature of the year is normally about 24.2 °F (−4 °C) under the 1991-2020 climate normals, putting Austin in USDA zone 9a. Conversely, winter months also produce warm days on a regular basis. On average, 10 days in January reach or exceed 70 °F (21 °C) and 1 day reaches 80 °F (27 °C); during
1070-667: A major university. The 1970s saw Austin's emergence in the national music scene, with local artists such as Willie Nelson , Asleep at the Wheel , and Stevie Ray Vaughan and iconic music venues such as the Armadillo World Headquarters . Over time, the long-running television program Austin City Limits , its namesake Austin City Limits Festival, and the South by Southwest music festival solidified
1177-526: A new Republic of Texas. After Texas Vice President Mirabeau B. Lamar visited central Texas during a buffalo -hunting expedition between 1837 and 1838, he proposed that the republic's capital (then located in Houston ) be relocated to a site on the north bank of the Colorado River . In 1839 the site was officially chosen as the republic's new capital and given the name Waterloo ; shortly thereafter
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#17327810898581284-512: A nickname in the 1990s due to a rapid influx of technology and development companies. In recent years, some Austinites have adopted the unofficial slogan " Keep Austin Weird ", which refers to the desire to protect small, unique, and local businesses from being overrun by large corporations. Since the late 19th century, Austin has also been known as the " City of the Violet Crown ", because of
1391-683: A part of their land, created an immense motive for Sam Houston, the first and third President of the Republic of Texas, to relocate the capital once again in 1841. Upon threats of Mexican troops in Texas, Houston raided the Land Office to transfer all official documents to Houston for safe keeping in what was later known as the Archive War , but the people of Austin would not allow this unaccompanied decision to be executed. The documents stayed, but
1498-710: A region in the U.S. state of Texas roughly bordered on the west by San Saba to the southeast by Bryan and the south by San Marcos to the north by Hillsboro . Central Texas overlaps with and includes part of the Texas Hill Country and corresponds to a physiographic section designation within the Edwards Plateau , in a geographic context. Central Texas includes the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood , Bryan–College Station , Waco metropolitan areas and Austin–Round Rock (also part of
1605-576: A set of zoning restrictions that preserve the view of the Texas State Capitol from various locations around Austin, known as the Capitol View Corridors . At night, parts of Austin are lit by "artificial moonlight" from moonlight towers built to illuminate the central part of the city. The 165-foot (50 m) moonlight towers were built in the late 19th century and are now recognized as historic landmarks. Only 15 of
1712-549: A severe lull in economic growth from the Great Depression , Austin resumed its steady development. Following the mid-20th century, Austin became established as one of Texas' major metropolitan centers. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Austin's population as 14.5% Hispanic, 11.9% black, and 73.4% non-Hispanic white. In the late 20th century, Austin emerged as an important high tech center for semiconductors and software. The University of Texas at Austin emerged as
1819-488: A site by the Colorado River near Barton Springs . The friars found conditions undesirable and relocated to the San Antonio River within a year of their arrival. In 1821 Mexico won its independence from Spain, and the new government enacted laws encouraging colonists to settle the Texas frontier by granting them land and reduced taxation. Over the next decade, thousands of foreign immigrants (primarily from
1926-526: A third of normal precipitation. This was a result of La Niña conditions in the eastern Pacific Ocean where water was significantly cooler than normal. David Brown, a regional official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, explained that "these kinds of droughts will have effects that are even more extreme in the future, given a warming and drying regional climate." The drought, coupled with exceedingly high temperatures throughout
2033-534: A variety of nomadic Native American tribes inhabited the area. These indigenous peoples fished and hunted along the creeks, including present-day Barton Springs , which proved to be a reliable campsite. At the time of the first permanent settlement of the area, the Tonkawa tribe was the most common, with the Comanches and Lipan Apaches also frequenting the area. The region (along with all of modern Texas)
2140-497: Is a state park administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department , located at the confluence of Onion Creek and Williamson Creek. The park includes several designated hiking trails and campsites with water and electric. The namesake features of the park are the scenic upper and lower falls along Onion Creek. The Emma Long Metropolitan Park is a municipal park along the shores of Lake Austin , originally constructed by
2247-435: Is a popular summer swimming spot for visitors and residents. Hamilton Pool Preserve consists of 232 acres (0.94 km ) of protected natural habitat featuring a jade green pool into which a 50-foot (15 m) waterfall flows. In May 2021, voters in the City of Austin reinstated a public camping ban. That includes downtown green spaces as well as trails and greenbelts such as along Barton Creek. McKinney Falls State Park
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#17327810898582354-408: Is also elected at-large for a four-year term. The Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse is located in downtown Austin . The county courthouse holds civil and criminal trial courts and other functions of county government. As of 2017, the county's probate courts are in the process of being moved from the county courthouse into Austin's 1936 United States Courthouse , which was acquired by
2461-615: Is home to the tallest condo towers in the state, with The Independent (58 stories and 690 ft (210 m) tall) and The Austonian (topping out at 56 floors and 685 ft (209 m) tall). The Independent became the tallest all-residential building in the U.S. west of Chicago when topped out in 2018. In 2005, then-Mayor Will Wynn set out a goal of having 25,000 people living downtown by 2015. Although downtown's growth did not meet this goal, downtown's residential population did surge from an estimated 5,000 in 2005 to 12,000 in 2015. The skyline has drastically changed in recent years, and
2568-471: Is its highly variable humidity, which fluctuates frequently depending on the shifting patterns of air flow and wind direction. It is common for a lengthy series of warm, dry, low-humidity days to be occasionally interrupted by very warm and humid days, and vice versa. Humidity rises with winds from the east or southeast, when the air drifts inland from the Gulf of Mexico , but decreases significantly with winds from
2675-772: Is located within the middle of a unique, narrow transitional zone between the dry deserts of the American Southwest and the lush, green, more humid regions of the American Southeast. Its climate, topography, and vegetation share characteristics of both. Officially, Austin has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) under the Köppen climate classification . This climate is typified by long, very hot summers, short, mild winters, and warm to hot spring and fall seasons in-between. Austin averages 34.32 inches (872 mm) of annual rainfall distributed mostly evenly throughout
2782-472: Is most common during the spring. According to most classifications, Austin lies within the extreme southern periphery of Tornado Alley , although many sources place Austin outside of Tornado Alley altogether. Consequently, tornadoes strike Austin less frequently than areas farther to the north. However, severe weather and/or supercell thunderstorms can occur multiple times per year, bringing damaging winds, lightning, heavy rain, and occasional flash flooding to
2889-558: Is one of the most consistently Democratic counties in Texas, having voted for the Democratic presidential nominee all but five times since 1932. The only exceptions have been the Republican landslide years of 1952, 1956, 1972 and 1984, when Dwight Eisenhower , Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan each won over 400 electoral votes, and 2000, when the Republican nominee was incumbent Texas Governor George W. Bush . In 2005 Travis County
2996-890: Is part of the Austin– Round Rock – Georgetown Metropolitan Statistical Area . It is located along the Balcones Fault , the boundary between the Edwards Plateau to the west and the Blackland Prairie to the east. Evidence of habitation of the Balcones Escarpment region of Texas can be traced to at least 11,000 years ago. Two of the oldest Paleolithic archeological sites in Texas, the Levi Rock Shelter and Smith Rock Shelter , are in southwest and southeast Travis County, respectively. Several hundred years before European settlers arrived,
3103-431: Is rare in Austin. A snow event of 0.9 inches (2 cm) on February 4, 2011, caused more than 300 car crashes. The most recent major snow event occurred February 14–15, 2021, when 6.4 inches (16 cm) of snow fell at Austin's Camp Mabry , the largest two-day snowfall since records began being kept in 1948. Typical of Central Texas , severe weather in Austin is a threat that can strike during any season. However, it
3210-769: Is served by a number of public school districts; the largest is Austin Independent School District , serving most of Austin. Other districts wholly or mainly located in Travis County include Eanes ISD , Lake Travis ISD , Lago Vista ISD , Leander ISD , Del Valle ISD , Manor ISD , and Pflugerville ISD . Parts of Elgin ISD , Coupland ISD , Hutto ISD , Round Rock ISD , Marble Falls ISD , Johnson City ISD , Dripping Springs ISD and Hays Consolidated ISD also cross into Travis County. State-operated schools include: Texas Blind, Deaf, and Orphan School
3317-523: Is the home of the University of Texas at Austin , one of the largest universities in the U.S., with over 50,000 students. In 2021, Austin became home to the Austin FC , the first (and currently only) major professional sports team in the city. Austin, Travis County and Williamson County have been the site of human habitation since at least 9200 BC. The area's earliest known inhabitants lived during
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3424-550: Is water. Austin is situated at the foot of the Balcones Escarpment , on the Colorado River , with three artificial lakes within the city limits: Lady Bird Lake (formerly known as Town Lake), Lake Austin (both created by dams along the Colorado River), and Lake Walter E. Long that is partly used for cooling water for the Decker Power Plant. Mansfield Dam and the foot of Lake Travis are located within
3531-511: Is well-fed. Both range in temperature from about 68.0 °F (20.0 °C) during the winter to about 71.6 °F (22.0 °C) during the summer. Hippie Hollow Park , a county park situated along Lake Travis, is the only officially sanctioned clothing-optional public park in Texas. Hamilton Pool Preserve is a natural pool that was created when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago. The pool, located about 23 miles (37 km) west of Austin,
3638-568: The 2020 census . The city is the cultural and economic center of the Austin–Round Rock metropolitan statistical area, which had an estimated population of 2,473,275 as of July 1, 2023. Located in Central Texas within the greater Texas Hill Country , it is home to numerous lakes, rivers, and waterways, including Lady Bird Lake and Lake Travis on the Colorado River , Barton Springs , McKinney Falls , and Lake Walter E. Long . Residents of Austin are known as Austinites. They include
3745-576: The Balcones Fault , the boundary between the Edwards Plateau to the west and the Texas Coastal Plain to the east. The western part of the county is characterized by the karst topography of the Texas Hill Country , while the eastern part exhibits the fertile plains and farmlands of the Blackland Prairie . The Colorado River meanders through the county from west to east, forming a series of man-made lakes ( Lake Travis , Lake Austin , and Lady Bird Lake ). The limestone karst geology of
3852-776: The Civilian Conservation Corps . The 284 acres (115 ha) Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a botanical garden and arboretum that features more than 800 species of native Texas plants in both garden and natural settings; the Wildflower Center is located 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Downtown in Circle C Ranch . Roy G. Guerrero Park is located along the Colorado River in East Riverside and contains miles of wooded trails,
3959-566: The Democratic Party. *appointed to fill a vacancy **court created in 2023 The board governing the Austin Community College district , which Travis County is a part of alongside Hays , Caldwell , and Blanco counties, as well as portions of Williamson , Bastrop , Guadalupe , Lee , and Fayette counties. Members are elected in nonpartisan elections and serve six year terms. As of 2017, Travis County had
4066-501: The Houston and Texas Central Railway (H&TC) in 1871 turned Austin into the major trading center for the region, with the ability to transport both cotton and cattle. The Missouri, Kansas & Texas (MKT) line followed close behind. Austin was also the terminus of the southernmost leg of the Chisholm Trail , and "drovers" pushed cattle north to the railroad. Cotton was one of the few crops produced locally for export, and
4173-534: The Interstate 35 corridor. This combined metropolitan region of San Antonio–Austin has approximately 5 million people. Austin is the southernmost state capital in the contiguous United States and is considered a Gamma + level global city as categorized by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . As of 2024, Austin had an estimated population of 984,567, up from 961,855 at
4280-479: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,023 square miles (2,650 km), of which 990 square miles (2,600 km) is land and 33 square miles (85 km) (3.2% of the territory) is water. Travis County is located in the southern part of central Texas , between San Antonio and Dallas–Fort Worth . The county's geographical center lies two miles northwest of downtown Austin at 30°18' north latitude and 97°45' west longitude. Travis County straddles
4387-429: The blackland prairie , with its deep, rich soils for producing cotton and hay. In September 1881, Austin public schools held their first classes. The same year, Tillotson Collegiate and Normal Institute (now part of Huston–Tillotson University ) opened its doors. The University of Texas held its first classes in 1883, although classes had been held in the original wooden state capitol for four years before. During
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4494-400: The 1880s, Austin gained new prominence as the state capitol building was completed in 1888 and claimed as the seventh largest building in the world. In the late 19th century, Austin expanded its city limits to more than three times its former area, and the first granite dam was built on the Colorado River to power a new street car line and the new " moon towers ". The first dam washed away in
4601-482: The 1991-2020 period recorded at least 1 day of the latter. The average daytime high is 70 °F (21 °C) or warmer between March 1 and November 21, rising to 80 °F (27 °C) or warmer between April 14 and October 24, and reaching 90 °F (32 °C) or warmer between May 30 and September 18. The highest ever recorded temperature was 112 °F (44 °C) occurring on September 5, 2000, and August 28, 2011. An uncommon characteristic of Austin's climate
4708-549: The 1991-2020 period, all Januarys had at least 1 day with a high of 70 °F (21 °C) or more, and most (60%) had at least 1 day with a high of 80 °F (27 °C) or more. The lowest ever recorded temperature in the city was −2 °F (−19 °C) on January 31, 1949. Roughly every two years Austin experiences an ice storm that freezes roads over and cripples travel in the city for 24 to 48 hours. When Austin received 0.04 inches (1 mm) of ice on January 24, 2014, there were 278 vehicular collisions. Similarly, snowfall
4815-508: The 31 original innovative towers remain standing in Austin, but none remain in any of the other cities where they were installed. The towers are featured in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused . In December 2023, amid rising home prices, the Austin City Council loosened the city's zoning rules to permit by-right development of triplexes on each lot and loosened restrictions on tiny homes. The central business district of Austin
4922-720: The Austin Nature & Science Center, and the Zilker Zephyr, a 12 in ( 305 mm ) gauge miniature railway carries passengers on a tour around the park. Auditorium Shores , an urban park along the lake, is home to the Palmer Auditorium , the Long Center for the Performing Arts , and an off-leash dog park on the water. Both Zilker Park and Auditorium Shores have a direct view of
5029-531: The Capital region). The Austin–Round Rock and Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood areas are among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the state. In the south, the Greater Austin and Greater San Antonio areas are separated from each other by approximately 80 miles (129 km) along Interstate 35 . It is anticipated that both regions may form a new metroplex similar to Dallas and Fort Worth . Some of
5136-551: The Central Texas region are: Austin, Texas Austin ( / ˈ ɔː s t ɪ n / AW -stin ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat and most populous city of Travis County , with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 26th-largest metropolitan area in the United States, the 11th-most populous city in
5243-728: The City of Austin issued a mandatory citywide boil-water advisory after the Highland Lakes , home to the city's main water supply, became overwhelmed by unprecedented amounts of silt, dirt, and debris that had washed in from the Llano River . Austin Water, the city's water utility, has the capacity to process up to 300 million gallons of water per day; however, the elevated level of turbidity reduced output to only 105 million gallons per day. Since Austin residents consumed an average of 120 million gallons of water per day,
5350-459: The Colorado River between two creeks, Shoal Creek and Waller Creek , which was later named in his honor. Waller and a team of surveyors developed Austin's first city plan , commonly known as the Waller Plan , dividing the site into a 14-block grid plan bisected by a broad north–south thoroughfare, Congress Avenue, running up from the river to Capital Square, where the new Texas State Capitol
5457-760: The Colorado River to form the Highland Lakes . These projects were enabled in large part because the Public Works Administration provided Austin with greater funding for municipal construction projects than other Texas cities. During the early 20th century, a three-way system of social segregation emerged in Austin, with Anglos, African Americans and Mexicans being separated by custom or law in most aspects of life, including housing, health care, and education. Deed restrictions also played an important role in residential segregation . After 1935 most housing deeds prohibited African Americans (and sometimes other nonwhite groups) from using land. Combined with
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#17327810898585564-527: The Comanches westward, mostly ending conflicts in Central Texas. Settlement in the area began to expand quickly. Travis County was established in 1840, and the surrounding counties were mostly established within the next two decades. Initially, the new capital thrived but Lamar's political enemy, Sam Houston , used two Mexican army incursions to San Antonio as an excuse to move the government. Sam Houston fought bitterly against Lamar's decision to establish
5671-785: The Downtown skyline. The Barton Creek Greenbelt is a 7.25-mile (11.67 km) public green belt managed by the City of Austin's Park and Recreation Department. The Greenbelt, which begins at Zilker Park and stretches South/Southwest to the Woods of Westlake subdivision , is characterized by large limestone cliffs, dense foliage, and shallow bodies of water. Popular activities include rock climbing , mountain biking, and hiking. Some well known naturally forming swimming holes along Austin's greenbelt include Twin Falls, Sculpture Falls, Gus Fruh Pool, and Campbell's Hole. During years of heavy rainfall,
5778-579: The Republic of Texas into the United States. In 1860, 38% of Travis County residents were slaves . In 1861, with the outbreak of the American Civil War , voters in Austin and other Central Texas communities voted against secession. However, as the war progressed and fears of attack by Union forces increased, Austin contributed hundreds of men to the Confederate forces. The African American population of Austin swelled dramatically after
5885-474: The Texas Congress formed a commission to seek a site for the new capital of the Republic of Texas to replace Houston . When he was Vice President of Texas, Mirabeau B. Lamar had visited the area during a buffalo -hunting expedition between 1837 and 1838. He advised the commissioners to consider the area on the north bank of the Colorado River (near the present-day Congress Avenue Bridge ), noting
5992-479: The United States) moved into Texas; in particular, American empresario Stephen F. Austin established one of his colonies near what is now Bastrop, Texas (in future Travis County) in 1827. Josiah and Mathias Wilbarger, Reuben Hornsby, Jacob M. Harrell, and John F. Webber were early settlers who moved into the area in the early 1830s. In 1836 Texas declared and won its independence from Mexico, forming
6099-403: The United States, the fourth-most populous city in the state after Houston , San Antonio , and Dallas , and the second-most populous state capital city after Phoenix , the capital of Arizona . It has been one of the fastest growing large cities in the United States since 2010. Downtown Austin and Downtown San Antonio are approximately 80 miles (129 km) apart, and both fall along
6206-493: The age of 18 living with them, 42.60% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.70% were non-families. 30.10% of all households were composed of individuals, and 4.40% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.15. 12.0% were of German , 7.7% English , 6.6% Irish and 5.5% American ancestry according to Census 2000 The population's age distribution
6313-464: The area's hills, waterways, and pleasant surroundings. It was seen as a convenient crossroads for trade routes between Santa Fe and Galveston Bay , as well as routes between northern Mexico and the Red River . In 1839, the site was chosen, and briefly incorporated under the name "Waterloo". Shortly afterward, the name was changed to Austin in honor of Stephen F. Austin , the "Father of Texas" and
6420-476: The area. Spanish colonists, including the Espinosa - Olivares - Aguirre expedition, traveled through the area, though few permanent settlements were created for some time. In 1730, three Catholic missions from East Texas were combined and reestablished as one mission on the south side of the Colorado River, in what is now Zilker Park , in Austin. The mission was in this area for only about seven months, then
6527-422: The budgets for county officials and agencies. The judge and commissioners are elected for four-year terms (the judge at-large, and the commissioners from geographic precincts). The other major county-wide official is the county clerk , who maintains the county's records, administers elections , and oversees legal documentation (such as property deeds , marriage licenses and assumed name certificates ). The clerk
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#17327810898586634-489: The capital in such a remote wilderness. The men and women who traveled mainly from Houston to conduct government business were intensely disappointed as well. By 1840, the population had risen to 856, nearly half of whom fled Austin when Congress recessed. The resident African American population listed in January of this same year was 176. The fear of Austin's proximity to the Indians and Mexico, which still considered Texas
6741-403: The capital would temporarily move from Austin to Houston to Washington-on-the-Brazos . Without the governmental body, Austin's population declined to a low of only a few hundred people throughout the early 1840s. The voting by the fourth President of the Republic, Anson Jones , and Congress, who reconvened in Austin in 1845, settled the issue to keep Austin the seat of government, as well as annex
6848-418: The city's limits. Lady Bird Lake, Lake Austin, and Lake Travis are each on the Colorado River. The elevation of Austin varies from 425 feet (130 m) to approximately 1,000 feet (305 m) above sea level. Due to the fact it straddles the Balcones Fault , much of the eastern part of the city is flat, with heavy clay and loam soils, whereas the western part and western suburbs consist of rolling hills on
6955-475: The city's name was changed to Austin in honor of Stephen F. Austin . A new county was also established the following year, of which Austin would be the seat; the county was named Travis County , after William B. Travis . Though the Republic's capital moved briefly back to Houston during the events surrounding the Texas Archive War , by 1845 Austin was again the capital, and it became the capital of
7062-516: The city's place in the music industry. Austin, the southernmost state capital of the contiguous 48 states, is located in Central Texas on the Colorado River . Austin is 146 miles (230 km) northwest of Houston , 182 miles (290 km) south of Dallas and 74 miles (120 km) northeast of San Antonio . Austin occupies a total area of 305.1 square miles (790.1 km ). Approximately 7.2 square miles (18.6 km ) of this area
7169-420: The city. The deadliest storm to ever strike city limits was the twin tornadoes storm of May 4, 1922, while the deadliest tornado outbreak to ever strike the metro area was the Central Texas tornado outbreak of May 27, 1997. From October 2010 through September 2011, both major reporting stations in Austin, Camp Mabry and Bergstrom Int'l, had the least rainfall of a water year on record, receiving less than
7276-673: The clay-rich types, are slightly to moderately alkaline and have free calcium carbonate . Austin's skyline historically was modest, dominated by the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas Main Building . However, since the 2000s, many new high-rise towers have been constructed. Austin is currently undergoing a skyscraper boom, which includes recent construction on new office, hotel and residential buildings. Downtown's buildings are somewhat spread out, partly due to
7383-404: The colorful glow of light across the hills just after sunset. Emerging from a strong economic focus on government and education, since the 1990s, Austin has become a center for technology and business. The technology roots in Austin can be traced back to the 1960s, when defense electronics contractor Tracor (now BAE Systems ) began operations in the city in 1962. IBM followed in 1967, opening
7490-409: The county in 2016. The Travis County Jail and the Travis County Criminal Justice Center are located in Downtown Austin. The Travis County Correctional Complex is located in an unincorporated area in Travis County, next to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport . The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Travis County State Jail, a state jail for men, in eastern Austin . Travis County
7597-425: The county include Texas Highway Loop 1 (the "Mopac Expressway"), which runs from north to south through the center of the county, and Texas Highway 45 , which forms parts of an incomplete highway loop around Austin. Texas Highway 130 (constructed as an alternative to IH-35 for long-distance traffic wishing to avoid Austin and San Antonio) also runs from north to south through the sparsely populated eastern part of
7704-636: The county. Amtrak 's Austin station is located in downtown Austin and is served by the Texas Eagle which runs daily between Chicago and San Antonio , continuing on to Los Angeles several times a week. Travis County is served by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Austin Western Railroad . According to the census of 2010, there were 1,024,266 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in
7811-405: The county. The population density was 1,034 persons per square mile (399 persons/km). There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 units per square mile (130 units/km). The racial makeup of the county was 68.21% White, 9.26% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 4.47% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 14.56% other races, and 2.85% from two or more races. 28.20% of
7918-420: The district vote for justices. Justices serve six year terms in at-large seats with no term limits, besides a mandatory retirement age of 75 years old. Following the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats held a majority on the 3rd Court of Appeals. Since 2022, Democrats have held all six seats. Judges serve a 4-year term, with no term limits . As of March 2024, all county elected officials are members of
8025-583: The edge of the Texas Hill Country . Because the hills to the west are primarily limestone rock with a thin covering of topsoil, portions of the city are frequently subjected to flash floods from the runoff caused by thunderstorms. To help control this runoff and to generate hydroelectric power, the Lower Colorado River Authority operates a series of dams that form the Texas Highland Lakes . The lakes also provide venues for boating, swimming, and other forms of recreation within several parks on
8132-468: The end of the Civil War to the early twenty-first century, Travis County has experienced steady, rapid population growth (averaging more than a 36% increase every decade from 1870 to 2010), driven largely by the growth of Austin and its suburbs; it is now the fifth most populous county in Texas, after Harris (Houston), Dallas , Tarrant ( Fort Worth ) and Bexar ( San Antonio ) counties. According to
8239-697: The enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas by Union General Gordon Granger at Galveston, in an event commemorated as Juneteenth . Black communities such as Wheatville , Pleasant Hill, and Clarksville were established, with Clarksville being the oldest surviving freedomtown ‒ the original post-Civil War settlements founded by former African-American slaves ‒ west of the Mississippi River . In 1870, blacks made up 36.5% of Austin's population. The postwar period saw dramatic population and economic growth. The opening of
8346-412: The infrastructure was not able to keep up with demand. In February 2021, Winter Storm Uri dropped prolific amounts of snow across Texas and Oklahoma, including Austin. The Austin area received a total of 6.4 inches (160 mm) of snowfall between February 14 and 15, with snow cover persisting until February 20. This marked the longest time the area had had more than 1 inch (25 mm) of snow, with
8453-493: The lake for canoeing and fishing. The 10.1 miles (16.3 km) Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail forms a complete circuit around the lake. A local nonprofit, The Trail Foundation, is the Trail's private steward and has built amenities and infrastructure including trailheads, lakefront gathering areas, restrooms, exercise equipment, as well as doing Trailwide ecological restoration work on an ongoing basis. The Butler Trail loop
8560-437: The lake shores. Austin is located at the intersection of four major ecological regions, and is consequently a temperate-to-hot green oasis with a highly variable climate having some characteristics of the desert, the tropics, and a wetter climate. The area is very diverse ecologically and biologically, and is home to a variety of animals and plants. Notably, the area is home to many types of wildflowers that blossom throughout
8667-437: The largest cities in the region are Austin , College Station , Killeen , Round Rock , and Waco . The largest U.S. Army installation in the country, Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood), is located near Killeen . The counties (to the right in red) that are almost always included in the Central Texas region are (those bolded are always part of Central Texas): Counties (to the right in pink) that are sometimes included in
8774-453: The late Pleistocene (Ice Age) and are linked to the Clovis culture around 9200 BC (over 11,200 years ago), based on evidence found throughout the area and documented at the much-studied Gault Site , midway between Georgetown and Fort Cavazos . When settlers arrived from Europe, the Tonkawa tribe inhabited the area. The Comanches and Lipan Apaches were also known to travel through
8881-608: The much larger Mansfield Dam was built by the LCRA upstream of Austin to form Lake Travis, a flood-control reservoir. In the early 20th century, the Texas Oil Boom took hold, creating tremendous economic opportunities in Southeast Texas and North Texas. The growth generated by this boom largely passed by Austin at first, with the city slipping from fourth largest to tenth largest in Texas between 1880 and 1920. After
8988-646: The new State of Texas when Texas was annexed by the United States later that year. In 1861 Travis County was one of the few Texas counties to vote against secession from the Union. Since the majority of the state did favor secession, Travis County then became a part of the Confederacy for the duration of the Civil War . After the Confederacy's defeat, Texas was fully readmitted to the Union in 1870. From
9095-427: The peak of the blackouts an estimated 40% of Austin Energy homes were without power. Starting on February 15, Austin Water received reports of pipe breaks, hourly water demand increased from 150 million gallons per day (MGD) on February 15 to a peak hourly demand of 260 MGD on February 16. On the morning of February 17 demand increased to 330 MGD, the resulting drop of water pressure caused the Austin area to enter into
9202-465: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. English is the sole language spoken at home by 71.42% of the population age 5 or over, while 22.35% speak Spanish , and a Chinese language (including Mandarin , Taiwanese , and Cantonese ) is spoken by 1.05%. As of the 2010 census, there were about 11.1 same-sex couples per 1,000 households in the county. According to the census of 2000, there were 812,280 people, of which 29.30% had children under
9309-758: The presidential level, as all of the county-level officials are Democrats. In addition, the majority of the county is represented by Democrats in the US Congress , Texas Senate , and Texas House . State Senators serve four year terms with no term limits. State Representatives serve two year terms with no term limits. In addition to Travis, the 3rd Court of Appeals hears cases from 23 other counties across Central Texas: Bastrop , Bell , Blanco , Burnet , Caldwell , Coke , Comal , Concho , Fayette , Hays , Irion , Lampasas , Lee , Llano , McColluch , Milam , Mills , Runnels , San Saba , Schleicher , Sterling , Tom Green , and Williamson . All 24 counties in
9416-551: The previous longest time being three days in January 1985 . Lack of winterization in natural gas power plants , which supply a large amount of power to the Texas grid , and increased energy demand caused ERCOT and Austin Energy to enact rolling blackouts in order to avoid total grid collapse between February 15 and February 18. Initial rolling blackouts were to last for a maximum of 40 minutes, however lack of energy production caused many blackouts to last for much longer, at
9523-455: The republic's first secretary of state. The city grew throughout the 19th century and became a center for government and education with the construction of the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas at Austin . Edwin Waller was picked by Lamar to survey the village and draft a plan laying out the new capital. The original site was narrowed to 640 acres (260 ha) that fronted
9630-440: The residential real estate market has remained relatively strong. As of December 2016 , there were 31 high rise projects either under construction, approved or planned to be completed in Austin's downtown core between 2017 and 2020. Sixteen of those were set to rise above 400 ft (120 m) tall, including four above 600', and eight above 500'. An additional 15 towers were slated to stand between 300' and 399' tall. Austin
9737-536: The river's calm waters, nearly 6 miles (9.7 km) length and straight courses are especially popular with crew teams and clubs. Other recreational attractions along the shores of the lake include swimming in Deep Eddy Pool , the oldest swimming pool in Texas, and Red Bud Isle, a small island formed by the 1900 collapse of the McDonald Dam that serves as a recreation area with a dog park and access to
9844-609: The summer of 2011, caused many wildfires throughout Texas, including notably the Bastrop County Complex Fire in neighboring Bastrop, Texas. In the fall of 2018, Austin and surrounding areas received heavy rainfall and flash flooding following Hurricane Sergio . The Lower Colorado River Authority opened four floodgates of the Mansfield Dam after Lake Travis was recorded at 146% full at 704.3 feet (214.7 m). From October 22 to October 29, 2018,
9951-450: The system of segregated public services, racial segregation increased in Austin during the first half of the twentieth century, with African Americans and Mexicans experiencing high levels of discrimination and social marginalization. In 1940, the destroyed granite dam on the Colorado River was finally replaced by a hollow concrete dam that formed Lake McDonald (now called Lake Austin ) and which has withstood all floods since. In addition,
10058-408: The water level of the creek rises high enough to allow swimming , cliff diving , kayaking , paddle boarding , and tubing . Austin is home to more than 50 public pools and swimming holes . These include Deep Eddy Pool , Texas' oldest human-made swimming pool, and Barton Springs Pool , the nation's largest natural swimming pool in an urban area. Barton Springs Pool is spring-fed while Deep Eddy
10165-538: The west or southwest, bringing air flowing from Chihuahuan Desert areas of West Texas or northern Mexico. Winters in Austin are mild, although occasional short-lived bursts of cold weather known as " Blue Northers " can occur. January is the coolest month with an average daytime high of 62.5 °F (17 °C). The overnight low drops to or below freezing 12 times per year, and sinks below 45 °F (7 °C) during 76 evenings per year, mostly between mid-December and mid-February. The average first and last dates for
10272-731: The western and southwestern parts of Travis County gives rise to numerous caverns and springs , some of which have provided shelter and water for humans in the region for thousands of years. Notable springs in the county include Barton Springs , Deep Eddy and Hamilton Pool . Travis County is crossed by Interstate Highway 35 , US Highways 183 and 290 , and Texas Highway 71 . IH-35 leads northward to Waco and Dallas–Fort Worth and southward to San Antonio . US-183 leads northward through Cedar Park to Lampasas and southward to Lockhart . US-290 leads westward to Fredericksburg and eastward to Houston . TX-71 leads westward to Marble Falls and eastward to Bastrop . Other major highways within
10379-512: The year but especially in the spring. This includes the popular bluebonnets , some planted by "Lady Bird" Johnson , wife of former President Lyndon B. Johnson . The soils of Austin range from shallow, gravelly clay loams over limestone in the western outskirts to deep, fine sandy loams, silty clay loams, silty clays or clays in the city's eastern part. Some of the clays have pronounced shrink-swell properties and are difficult to work under most moisture conditions. Many of Austin's soils, especially
10486-424: The year, though spring and fall are the wettest seasons. Sunshine is common during all seasons, with 2,650 hours, or 60.3% of the possible total, of bright sunshine per year. Summers in Austin are very hot, with average July and August highs frequently reaching the high-90s (34–36 °C) or above. Highs reach 90 °F (32 °C) on 123 days per year, of which 29 days reach 100 °F (38 °C); all years in
10593-462: Was 23.80% under the age of 18, 14.70% from 18 to 24, 36.50% from 25 to 44, 18.20% from 45 to 64, and 6.70% age 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.50 males. Like other Texas counties, Travis County is governed by a Commissioners' Court composed of the county judge and four county commissioners. The court levies county taxes and sets
10700-624: Was claimed by the Spanish Empire in the 1600s, but at the time no attempt was made to settle the area (or even to explore it fully). In 1691 Domingo Terán de los Ríos made an inspection tour through East Texas that likely took him through Travis Country. The first European settlers in the area were a group of Spanish friars who arrived from East Texas in July 1730. They established three temporary missions , La Purísima Concepción , San Francisco de los Neches , and San José de los Nazonis , on
10807-594: Was completed in 2014 with the public-private partnership 1-mile Boardwalk project. Along the shores of Lady Bird Lake is the 350 acres (140 hectares) Zilker Park , which contains large open lawns, sports fields, cross country courses, historical markers, concession stands, and picnic areas. Zilker Park is also home to numerous attractions, including the Zilker Botanical Garden , the Umlauf Sculpture Garden , Zilker Hillside Theater,
10914-515: Was established in 1992 to develop and improve parks in and around Austin. APF works to fill the city's park funding gap by leveraging volunteers, philanthropists, park advocates, and strategic collaborations to develop, maintain and enhance Austin's parks, trails and green spaces. Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake) is a river-like reservoir on the Colorado River. The lake is a popular recreational area for paddleboards , kayaks , canoes , dragon boats , and rowing shells . Austin's warm climate and
11021-834: Was fired by the Austin City Council for the city's response to the winter storm. Former City Manager Jesus Garcia was named Interim City Manager. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department received the Excellence in Aquatics award in 1999 and the Gold Medal Awards in 2004 from the National Recreation and Park Association . To strengthen the region's parks system, which spans more than 29,000 acres (11,736 ha), The Austin Parks Foundation (APF)
11128-635: Was formerly in operation for black students pre-desegregation. The largest university in Travis County is the University of Texas at Austin . Other universities include St. Edward's University , Huston–Tillotson University , and Concordia University Texas . Under Texas law Austin Community College District (ACC) is the designated community college for most of the county. However, areas in Marble Falls ISD are zoned to Central Texas College District . Central Health ,
11235-506: Was moved to San Antonio de Béxar and split into three missions. During the 1830s, pioneers began to settle the area in central Austin along the Colorado River . Spanish forts were established in what are now Bastrop and San Marcos . Following Mexico's independence , new settlements were established in Central Texas . In 1835–1836, Texans fought and won independence from Mexico . Texas thus became an independent country with its own president, congress, and monetary system. In 1839,
11342-470: Was the only county in Texas to vote against the Proposition 2 state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, with slightly under 60% of voters being against it. In 2020, Travis County backed Democrat Joe Biden with nearly 72% of the vote, his strongest showing in the state and the best showing for any presidential candidate in the county since 1948. The county's Democratic bent is not limited to
11449-551: Was to be constructed. A temporary one-story capitol was erected on the corner of Colorado and 8th Streets. On August 1, 1839, the first auction of 217 out of 306 lots total was held. The Waller Plan designed and surveyed now forms the basis of downtown Austin. In 1840, a series of conflicts between the Texas Rangers and the Comanches , known as the Council House Fight and the Battle of Plum Creek , pushed
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