UT Austin is in the heart of one of the most fun, culturally vibrant, and economically booming cities in the U.S. Whether you’re looking for a classic college town atmosphere, a walkable downtown with top restaurants and nightlife, world-renowned festivals, football games with over 100,000 fans, a rapidly growing tech and startup scene, or beautiful green spaces – Austin really has it all.
Quality of Life
- #1 Best Place to Live in the United States (3rd year in a row), U.S. News and World Report (2019)
- #14 Happiest City in the U.S., WalletHub (2019)
- #14 Healthiest Place in the U.S., WalletHub (2019)
- #9 Most Educated City in the U.S., WalletHub (2017)
- #1 Super Cool U.S. City to Visit, Expedia (2017)
- #1 Fastest Growing City in the U.S., Forbes (2016)
Economy and Business
- #1 Hottest Labor Market in the U.S., Wall Street Journal (2019)
- #5 Best City to Start a Career in the U.S., WalletHub (2019)
- #4 Best Big City to Start a Business in the U.S., WalletHub (2019)
- #4 Best Metro Area for STEM Professionals in the U.S., WalletHub (2019)
- #1 Fastest Job Growth in the U.S. from 2007—2017, Brookings Institute (2019)
- #4 Best City for Job Seekers in the U.S., Indeed (2017)
Culture and Recreation
- #10 Best Food City in the U.S., WalletHub (2018)
- #2 Most Exciting Food City, Zagat (2017)
- #1 Best Music City in the U.S., Thrillist (2015)
- #13 Best Bike City in the U.S., Bicycling Magazine (2018)
- 1 of the Top 10 Art Cities in the U.S., Artists Network (2018)
- 2 of the Top 15 Best Music Festivals in the U.S. (SXSW and Austin City Limits), Festicket (2019)
- 2 of the Top 19 Best Music Festivals in the U.S. (SXSW and Austin City Limits), Time Out (2018)