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Austin / Cedar Park

Texas · Austin Metro
No Income TaxStrong DanceWarmMid Cost
77
/ 100 match score

No state income tax. Major tech hub — Apple, Tesla, Dell, Amazon all have significant Austin presence. Cost of living rose dramatically post-2020 but has stabilized. Suburbs like Cedar Park and Round Rock offer better value.

Match Score Breakdown
Cost of Living
13/20
Family Safety
16/20
State Tax Burden
10/10
Healthcare Quality
13/20
Dance Training
9/12
Musical Theater
6/8
Career / Remote
10/10
Financial Snapshot at $360K Income
State income tax
0.0%
$0/yr
Est. after-tax income
$267,175
incl. FICA + federal
Annual living costs
$108,000
$84,000–$132,000 range
Annual surplus
+$159,175
King: 2.5×
Rent: 3BR family home
$2,400–$3,800/mo
Median SFH purchase price
$580,000
Dance Training
Austin Ballet (professional company). Austin School of Ballet (official school). Multiple elite private studios. University of Texas dance program. Growing competitive scene.
Healthcare
Dell Seton Medical Center (UT), Ascension Seton. St. David's Health. Excellent specialist access for a mid-size market.
Career & Remote Work
No income tax. Premier US tech hub — $9,900/yr savings vs. 5% rate states. Healthcare IT, semiconductors (Samsung fab), cloud computing. Remote-worker magnet.
Musical Theater
Strong
ZACH Theatre has youth education and training programs — the anchor of serious youth MT development in Austin. Austin's rapid growth has attracted a wave of professional instructors, and multiple competition-active MT studios have established in the metro over the past decade. AISD performing arts programs vary but several campuses are strong. Active Texas competition circuit. Austin's tech-driven culture creates a high density of families willing to invest heavily in arts training, which keeps instruction quality high.
Safety
Violent crime rate:140 per 100KVery Safe

US national average: ~370/100K. Lower suburbs are typically 50–80% safer than city-wide averages shown.

Pros
  • +Zero income tax
  • +Elite tech job market
  • +Austin Ballet professional company
  • +Vibrant culture and food scene
  • +Warm climate
Cons
  • −Cost of living surged post-2020
  • −Traffic among worst in Texas
  • −Intense summer heat
  • −Water reliability concerns
  • −School quality variable by district
Quick Stats
School rating
8/10
Healthcare rating
8/10
Tech job market
excellent
Remote friendly
Yes

Financial estimates assume $360K gross income: FICA 7.65% + rough federal bracket + state rate shown. Does not include city income taxes, municipal taxes, or deductions. Actual tax liability varies. Consult a CPA.