The Austin metro is growing faster than anywhere in the U.S., and added roughly 29,000 jobs in 2024, pushing toward a projected three million residents by 2030. Median list prices in March 2025 hovered around $510,000, down more than 7% year over year, with active listings up 28% and new construction completions up 10%. The skyline keeps reaching. Sixth and Guadalupe – the city’s second-tallest tower – now hums with office tenants and residents, while the 74-story Waterline has just topped out for a 2026 debut as the tallest building in the state, with a hotel, residences and office space. Office vacancies remain above 25%, but growth in creative media, AI, and the chip sector are expected to tighten that in 2025–26. One potential caveat might be the dwindling water supply: the Texas Legislature is proposing annual allocations of $1 billion to the Texas Water Fund over the next two decades to maintain the flow of water, people and money.
Austin’s #19 Labor Force Participation, #12 Economic Output and #18 Business Ecosystem rankings are backed by megaprojects. Samsung’s $17-billion Taylor fab chip factory is targeting mass production in late 2026 and Tesla is adding 5.2 million square feet to Gigafactory Texas for long-promised affordable EVs and robotaxis. At Austin-Bergstrom International, 2024’s 21.8 million passengers have kicked terminal expansion into high gear.