City of Austin Texas | Royalty Universe

Austin , Texas is deemed the Live Music Capital of the World and has the self-proclaimed slogan of Keep Austin Weird. The sentiment is the soul of the diversity in culture and history that truly does make Austin one of the strangest and most interactive cities in Texas . This Austin , Texas slogan can be seen on bumper stickers, t-shirts, banners, ball caps, straw hats, and many a guitar being played outside a cafe or shop.

More than 1,900 bands and musical artists live near the 78728 Austin , Texas neighborhood. Musical genres follow the diverse traditions Austin and can be heard among the many blues, jazz, rock, country and even indie rock or techno beats.

Being the Live Music Capital of the World is more than just a slogan or obscure band playing in the back of a blues house. The music industry in Austin , Texas is thriving and brings in millions of dollars annually to the local area. Austin has more live music venues per capita than Nashville, Memphis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles or The City of New York. Austin began getting noticed in the music industry when several Country and Western singers, songwriters and producers made Austin , TX their home, in an attempt to remove themselves from the corporate politics of the music industry in Nashville, TN. The city has been home to several famous singers from many genres.

Music lends itself to the creative economy and culture that thrives in Austin , TX . Compared to Texas and the United States, Austin has a remarkably high number of young, well-educated, single adults. The diversity of Austin also brings a high percentage (27 percent) of Hispanic residents. These Hispanic residents report to be less educated with a lower income and are often part of a single-parent home.

Keep Austin Weird was originally adopted by small businesses as an effort to ban together against the progressive big box and chains that were moving into the 78728 area. The looming franchise corporations threatened the existence of smaller, locally owned businesses. The slogan went farther than just reminding fellow Austinites about the local business sector – the Keep Austin Weird slogan united a city of quirky artists, college students, and Austin-bred locals to rally behind the small intricacies that are stitched together to create the Austin culture. The slogan is now iconic to the city itself.

Although the local businesses in Austin have strong local support behind them, the economy of Austin is very much affected by the US economy as well as Global economy. The Austin economy boomed over the past decade and has recently slowed down along with the US economy. However, despite a lull in the economy, Austin’s median income remains substantially higher both regionally and per capita. The median household income as of 2006 in Austin , TX was $52,882, which is higher than the state’s median household income at $44,922. The city’s median income is also significantly higher than the country’s median household income of $48,451. The employment in Austin , TX tripled from 590,000 jobs in 1980 to 1,322,000 in 2001.

Government is the largest employer in Austin , Texas giving the 78728 area nearly 22 percent of its employment. The second largest industry, offering 13 percent of the job market in Austin , are professional and business services. These industries each hold 10 percent of the Austin employment pool: retail, financial activities, manufacturing and leisure and hospitality.

The markets that have the most influence on Austin are: major technology sectors, government (mostly state government), manufacturing, travel and tourism, insurance carriers, the arts (motion pictures, sound recording, artists, writers, performers and musical groups) and telephone call centers.

Along with the country, uncertain real estate markets have slowed the 78728 population and residential rates to the slowest Austin has seen in decades. While the population growth has been slower as of recently, the population rate has grown at least 3 percent annually over the past 20 years. There are currently estimated to be 672,011 residents in the city and is the 16th largest city in the USA. The metropolitan Austin area is home to 1.4 million people.

Austin has a median home price of $183,700, while the national average is $217,800. The burden of housing costs is the lowest among major cities and this makes the cost of living comfortable for its residents. Also, easing the cost of living is the fact that Texas has no personal income tax and one of the lowest state and local tax rates in the nation. Of the 50 states, Texas ranks 45th in taxes paid per $1000 of personal income. Austin also ranks very low in the cost of healthcare when compared to other major US cities.

Renting in Austin is a path that many residents take. The occupancy rate in the 78728 region and Austin area is 93 percent, with the average rent being 97 cents per square foot.

Among the 672,011 residents is a diverse culture who thrive on interacting with their surroundings. Austin has a festival for every occasion, some of which include film festivals, Celtic festivals, international film festivals, music festivals of every kind, book festivals, art festivals, rodeos, Oktoberfest, Greek festivals, and yes, even a bat festival to celebrate the huge colony of bats that call a local bridge home, to name a few.

The culturally rich festivals help 78728 residents get outside and play in a city that is proud to keep its small town feel. Outside its corporate buildings and big city skyline, the streets beneath are laid-back, fancy free and footloose.

Getting outside to dance in a festival or paint a scenic landscape is hardly a problem. The humid subtropical climate in Austin is a large factor in what makes Austin a thriving city. Austin is located on the Colorado River. The city is elevated from 400 to 1,000 feet above sea level. The hot summers and mild winters in 78728 evenly distribute the precipitation throughout the year. Freezing temperatures occur less than 7 percent of the year, with cold spells lasting no more than two days at a time. In fact, the annual snowfall is less than 2 cm per year. Temperatures during the winter season average at 48 degrees Fahrenheit, the springtime averages 67 degrees Fahrenheit, summer brings an average of 82 degrees Fahrenheit and fall is around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Austin has a climate just made for outdoor enjoyment, nearly year round.

Climactic seasons are not the only seasons of change for Austin . Colleges and Universities bring the educational foundation that makes Austin one of the highest educated cities in the country. Carefree and curious college students are ready to explore their world and Austin is happy to oblige. Downtown and more specifically, 6th Street bring out all the eccentricities in Austin, Texas.

The nightlife on 6th Street draws a younger crowd and is blamed for many dropping GPA scores. Entire sections of Downtown offer nothing but bars and nightclubs. Dedicated to Austin nightlife, a college student won’t let closing time ruin their fun. The lines outside the pizza joints and hot dogs stands can be quite long at 2am. Craziness and a wild time are encouraged on 6th Street and the lifestyles or types of individuals you will find there may be more than you had imagined. At any given point during your nightlife experience, you are likely to see a mixed crowd of starving artists, guitar players, cross gender individuals, gay and lesbian groups, homeless beggars, and the occasional honky tonk – one thing that Austin offers all these folk is equality.

Austin is also the capital of Texas , the lonestar state. The Capitol Building rightfully sits atop the highest point in Austin , TX and is a nationally recognized historic landmark, exemplifying American history and late 19th century architecture.

The architecture of the Capitol Building will leave you awestruck. The exterior is constructed of red granite which was quarried less that 50 miles from the construction site and the foundation is made of limestone. Oddly enough, and perhaps foreshadowing the weird slogans of its future, Texas did not pay for the erection of this national landmark with dollars, but with land. The Texas State Capitol Building is the largest in square footage, surpassing even the United States Capitol in Washington D.C.

Over the past 2 decades, over 181 million dollars has been invested into the preservation and expansion of the Capitol building and its grounds. It is a symbol that both Austin and Texas will preserve with the utmost respect.

Rich American heritage tied with the Native Indian heritage of the land are combined with the influence of the Hispanic culture, educated workforce, all forms of The Arts and diverse Weirdoes that stake claim to Austin, Texas.

Austin has been named as one of the best cities for singles as well as for families. Austin is consistently recognized as the most innovative, creative, weird, educated and fit cities in the country and the world. And it will forever be known as The Live Music Capital of the World.

The city has been listed and named many things that bring it all together. Perhaps the most important label Austin , TX has been given is Home.