← Back to Texas Cities

Round Rock

Texas · Austin — North
No Income TaxStrong DanceWarmMid Cost
79
/ 100 match score

Round Rock is Dell's home city and a tech hub in its own right. Round Rock ISD is solid. Close enough to Austin for culture and career access but with more affordable suburban pricing. Baylor Scott & White flagship campus is a major asset.

Match Score Breakdown
Cost of Living
13/20
Family Safety
11/20
State Tax Burden
10/10
Healthcare Quality
20/20
Dance Training
9/12
Musical Theater
6/8
Career / Remote
10/10
Financial Snapshot at $360K Income
State income tax
$0
Texas advantage
Est. after-tax income
$267,175
incl. FICA + federal
Annual living costs
$108,000
$90,000–$126,000 range
Annual surplus
+$159,175
King: 2.5×
FICA (7.65%)
$27,540/yr
Rent: 3BR family home
$2,200–$3,000/mo
Median SFH purchase
$470,000
Dance Training
Round Rock has its own competitive dance studio ecosystem. Ballet Austin Academy has outreach programs north of Austin. Drive time to Ballet Austin is manageable.
Healthcare
Baylor Scott & White Round Rock — the flagship BSW facility outside DFW — is excellent. Dell Seton Children's Hospital in Austin 20 min south.
Career & Remote Work
Dell HQ. Apple Austin campus 20 min. Google, Tesla, Oracle, Amazon all expanding in Austin. One of the best tech job markets in the US.
Musical Theater
Strong
Round Rock ISD has solid performing arts programs and competitive theater departments at the high school level. ZACH Theatre in Austin (20 min south) has youth education and training programs — the most meaningful professional youth MT institution in the Austin area. Multiple private MT studios in the Round Rock-Cedar Park corridor. Active Texas competition circuit. Austin's growing arts culture has attracted professional-level instructors to the suburbs.
Safety
Violent crime rate:250 per 100KSafe (suburbs)

US national average: ~370/100K. For cities with elevated rates, target specific suburban ISD neighborhoods — actual neighborhood crime is 40–60% below city average.

Internet Quality
Excellent1,000+ Mbps
AT&T Fiber widely available. Google Fiber expanding in Austin metro may reach Round Rock. Dell campus proximity drives excellent infrastructure.
Pros
  • +Dell HQ and major tech employment corridor
  • +BSW flagship hospital on-site
  • +More affordable than Austin proper
  • +Good schools
  • +No state income tax + Williamson County
Cons
  • −I-35 traffic to Austin can be brutal at peak hours
  • −Dance access requires Austin drives
  • −Growing rapidly — infrastructure strain in some areas
Quick Stats
School rating
8/10
Healthcare rating
9/10
Tech job market
excellent
Remote friendly
Yes

Financial estimates: $360K gross income, FICA 7.65% + federal MFJ 2026 brackets ($30K standard deduction). Texas has no state income tax. Does not include property tax (TX rates 1.5–2.5% of assessed value, varies by county) or HOA. Actual liability varies — consult a CPA.