Austin, TX
As rents across the country go up, Austin prices continue to fall – Austin Monitor
Photo by Gabriel C. Pérez/ KUT News
During the pandemic, Austin came to exemplify the story of housing across the country: Prices went through the roof. In 2021, the average monthly rent in the region rose 25 percent. Similar increases happened in cities in California and Arizona.
But that narrative has flipped. As tens of thousands of new apartments have opened in Austin and the rate of people moving to the city has slowed, rent prices have been falling. For more than a year.
According to new numbers from Zillow, Austin is now leading the country in declining rents. But this time few other large U.S. cities are following.
The typical monthly rent in the Austin metro is down nearly 4 percent compared to last summer. Rents in similarly priced cities – including Dallas, Phoenix and Atlanta – are rising. The average monthly rent in Austin is now anywhere between roughly $1,500 and $1,800.
In the early years of the pandemic, demand for apartments rose. Tens of thousands of people moved to the city because they could suddenly work remotely. Meanwhile, some residents already living here decided to leave shared living situations and find apartments on their own.
In response to the demand for housing, rent prices rose at an incredible pace. To builders, this indicated a need and a business opportunity: more homes.
“A lot of builders … they look at the demographics and they look at the job growth and they look at projections and they say, ‘You know what, this is going to be a good place for me to build,’” Kim Betancourt, vice president of multifamily research at mortgage-backer Fannie Mae, said. “This is what happened with Austin.”
In 2021, local governments in the Austin area issued permits to build nearly 51,000 homes, according to census data. While not every developer that receives a permit eventually builds, this represents a rate of permitting much higher than in other cities at the time.
Because construction takes several years, apartments permitted years ago are now opening. At the same time, the population surge that defined Austin in 2020 and 2021 has slowed.
More homes, fewer new people. Thus, rent prices began to fall last summer.
“It’s that building bonanza that helped to bring costs back down to earth,” Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist at Zillow, said.
Divounguy stressed that “back down to earth” does not necessarily mean more affordable. In 2022, nearly half of all renters in the Austin area lived in housing they could not afford, according to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.
Economists predict that Austin’s falling rents won’t last beyond next year. Because of construction costs, developers are building less than they were just two years ago.
“It’s not gonna last long,” Betancourt said.
This story was produced as part of the Austin Monitor’s reporting partnership with KUT.
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Austin, TX
Bike MS Texas MS 150 returns April 25–26 with routes up to 96 miles and Leap Ahead option
Austin, TX — Bike MS: ACC Texas MS 150 is rolling back into Central Texas April 25–26 and it’s bigger, better, and bolder than ever. Sponsored by American Communications Construction, this legendary two-day ride is the largest fundraising event in the Bike MS series and brings riders from across Texas together to fund research and support for people living with MS.
Riders of all levels can find a distance to match their goals. Route distances this year include day-one options of 96, 75, 50 and 38 miles and day-two options of 55 and 82 miles. Plus the fan-favorite “Leap Ahead Route” on Day Two that lets riders skip forward and roll into the finish at Texas A&M’s campus amid cheering crowds.
New for 2026 is a scenic 38-mile option launching from Bastrop and winding through Buescher State Park and the Lost Pines, a tree-lined, single-day alternative for riders who want the full Bike MS experience without the two-day format.
The ride funds the National MS Society’s work. Bike MS has helped raise more than $1.4 billion for research, care and advocacy, funding treatments, navigator programs and partnerships that connect people affected by MS to resources. Your miles and dollars make a direct impact.
One of the largest and most visible teams on the ride is Team Tacodeli, founded in 2004 and proudly sponsored by Austin’s Tacodeli. What began as a dozen riders and roughly $10,000 raised has grown into one of the MS 150’s most successful volunteer-led fundraisers. Team Tacodeli consistently ranks among the state’s top fundraisers and has raised millions for the cause. For team details and how to join or volunteer, visit TeamTacodeli.org.
Team Tacodeli also hosts an annual fundraiser (admission $30; kids 12 & under free) featuring a Tacodeli buffet, New Belgium beer and non-alcoholic drinks (while supplies last), a full cash bar, live music, silent auction, kids’ activities and more , with 100% of proceeds benefiting the National MS Society. Riders for the ACC Texas MS 150 are asked to meet a fundraising minimum (Team Tacodeli minimum: $400).
Want to ride, volunteer or support? Register for the ACC Texas MS 150 or learn more about the event and how funds are used at the National MS Society’s website.
Learn more about Team Tacodeli: https://teamtacodeli.org/
Austin, TX
Texas’ Gorgeous State Park Northwest Of Austin Is A Rustic Haven With Caves And A Stunning Waterfall – Islands
The landscapes around Austin are a natural wonderland for outdoor adventures, from diving into pristine swimming holes to kayaking on the beautiful lakes of the Texas Hill Country. But one destination northwest of the city is a particularly gorgeous escape. Colorado Bend State Park, about two hours away by car, is home to ethereal caves and a 70-foot spring-fed waterfall.
The 5,300-acre park has 35 miles of hiking trails, including one that leads to the park’s most famous feature, Gorman Falls. The rugged 3-mile round-trip hike is considered moderately challenging to difficult, with steep, rocky sections, slippery areas, and little shade from the sun. The trek is worth it for the chance to view the cascades, towering high above the river and fed by a mineral-rich spring. “The falls were beautiful, natural, and peaceful!” said one hiker on AllTrails. If you’re interested in other nearby adventures, be sure to check out all the breathtaking waterfall destinations tourists can find in Austin.
Sometimes the water at Gorman Falls is rushing, and other times the waterfalls are quieter, according to traveler reviews. “This is a beautiful trickling fall that is right out of a storybook about fairies,” said one review on Google. Many agreed that the hike itself isn’t easy. “Very rocky and challenging but worth the effort,” commented another. Several people mentioned that the trail may not be appropriate for beginners, kids, or dogs, that it gets very busy on weekends, and that it’s important to bring more water than you think you’ll need.
Plan an escape to Colorado Bend State Park
Another of the park’s key attractions is its system of underground caves, which visitors can explore on a guided tour with Nichols Outdoor Adventures. The intermediate-level Adventure Tour ($25 per person), billed as “an introduction to what Texas caving is all about,” is a 1.5-hour excursion that takes participants deep underground to crawl through cavernous passageways. “It was a fabulous experience,” said one recent guest on TripAdvisor. “[The guide] did a great job of explaining the topography, how the caves were formed, and answering any and all questions throughout the tour.” The activity is only for travelers ages 8 and up, and though long pants, headlamps, and closed-toe shoes are required, helmets and knee pads are provided. You can book your tour online.
Whether you’re touring the caves or hiking to waterfalls, you’ll need to pay a day-use fee ($5 per person) to access Colorado Bend State Park. It’s smart to reserve your pass online, since the park has a limited capacity and often fills up. If you’re hoping to camp in the park, you’ll want to make arrangements even further in advance. Simple campsites (without hookups) start at $10 per night, while larger group sites start at around $35.
Colorado Bend State Park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. It’s less than a two-hour drive from Austin’s international airport. If you love Colorado Bend, consider a detour to the secluded Inks Lake State Park, an idyllic getaway with shady trails and peaceful waters.
While we saw severe weather across parts of the state on Saturday, the bulk of the action happened in North Texas but don’t let your guard down yet. That system will influence our weather in Central Texas throughout much of next week, bringing daily chances for rain and thunderstorms.
Saturday’s cold front has stalled across South Texas, and the next weather feature to watch is a closed system of low atmospheric pressure lingering near the Baja California coast. That system will send several atmospheric disturbances into Texas that will keep rain chances high across the region.
Overcast skies, spotty showers, light north winds, and cooler temperatures will welcome us Sunday morning. Temperatures will be in the middle and upper 50s through mid-morning and then climb about 10 to 15 degrees by the afternoon. Afternoon temperatures will remain closer to climatological normals for early March, in the upper 60s and low 70s.
While we do expect to see some thunderstorms across the region at times on Sunday, severe weather is not on the menu. Rain chances are about 50% with rainfall totals between a half-inch to an inch.
The comfortable temperatures and north winds will not hang around long once low pressure develops to our north and opens the door to winds from a more southerly direction by Monday. We’ll have a small rain chance, about 30% to 40%, on Monday with a few afternoon thunderstorms possible. Temperatures will be warm, though, with the morning near 60s degrees and the afternoon reaching the low 80s.
Rain chances look to ramp up again from Tuesday through Thursday with the potential for some strong and severe thunderstorms.
“For now, it looks like late Tuesday into Wednesday will be favored as a closed low (pressure system) moves across West Texas into Central Texas,” the National Weather Service wrote in a forecast bulletin. “We will likely see some changes in the path of this upper low, but the current latitude looks favorable for a line of convection (storm activity) along a Pacific cold front to accompany the passage of this system.”
“The latest guidance shows a 60 to 90% chance of at least 1 inch of rain for most of our area with a 40 to 60% chance of at least 2 inches for areas north of I-10,” the weather service said. “There is a potential for multiple inches across some areas.”
Once this storm heads east by Thursday afternoon, cooler and drier weather will filter in with temperatures closer to our March normals of 50 degrees and 71 degrees.
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