Age of Change

Published September 2023

 Updated November 2023 

In the decade from 2010 to 2020, Austin’s growth has been substantial and well-documented, with only three U.S. cities (New York, NY, Houston, TX, and Fort Worth, TX) adding more population during this timeframe. This report looks more deeply at this population change, with a focus on changes in age and how those changes have varied for different communities within Austin. This is the first of several analyses of newly released 2020 Census data examining how our city has changed over the last decade. Future reports will consider changes in housing and households and families.

In this report we have noted some key insights, such as:

• Austin’s population is relatively young but aging rapidly.
• Population growth overall and among children took place along the edges of the city, whereas the older population is growing fastest in West Austin.
• People 65 and older are the fastest growing age group in Austin, made up mostly of White older population, but the Asian older population grew the fastest.
• East Austin has increasing shares of White older adults and decreasing shares of older Black and Hispanic people.
• Although the child population grew from 2010 - 2020, children made up a smaller share of the total population.
• Growth in the child population was driven mostly by Asian children, in contrast with a decline among Black and Latino children.
• The age distribution in Austin is heavily weighted by working-age people, especially those in their 20s and 30s.
• We have a strong ratio of workers to children and older adults, giving Austin a strong economic stance.

• Continue to scroll down to read and review the different maps and charts displaying the new data.
• The maps are interactive and can be expanded to make them larger.
• Within the maps you can click on specific census tracts to bring up more information about that area.
• Some reports require you to click to interact with them, and if you are on a mobile device you may need to tap the screen to see the interactive features.

• More information on the data, and how we analyzed and decided to report on the Census's demographic categories, is available in our Notes, Sources, and Links section at the bottom of this report.

• Austin has fewer children under 5 in total and as a percentage of the population than in 2010.
• Older populations continue to grow, and we are aging at a faster rate than many of our peer cities.
• Austin's population is heavily weighted by a young workforce that buoys the younger and older populations.
• The median age in Austin is younger than most of our peer cities across the country, and it is the lowest among the five largest Texas cities, largely due to a young workforce.

The total population of Austin in 2020 was enumerated to be 961,855, consisting of 485,739 males and 476,116 females. In 2020, the sex ratio, the number of males for every 100 females, was fairly even at 102 and remained unchanged from 2010. The sex ratio in Austin shows males slightly outnumbering females throughout the childhood years, females outnumbering males during the college years (ages 18 to 24), males outnumbering females throughout the workforce years, and females outnumbering males from age 60 onward. Generally, the sex ratios are fairly balanced, except in the older years where there are 80 males per 100 females. 

The population pyramid below depicts the age distribution of males and females by 5-year age groups in Austin for 2010 and 2020. Population growth can be seen for all age groups for both males and females except for young children under 5 years and 20- to 24-year-old males. Austin’s population pyramid is heavily weighted by a young workforce, particularly those aged 25 to 34 years. The Austin pyramid also includes an increasingly tapered base, indicating the addition of fewer young children this decade. Significant growth can also be seen among the older age groups. Although Austin’s young child population is shrinking and its older population is growing, the city maintains a youthful median age due to its young workforce-age population.

We have also constructed 2020 population pyramids for a few peer cities, which are similar to Austin in size or location. You can note the differences between Austin and some of its peers.

• Fort Worth, TX, has a wider base than Austin, indicating a larger child population. The rounded shape of the working-age population in Fort Worth shows a more even distribution. Even though Fort Worth has a broader peak, indicating more older adults, its median age remains similar to Austin’s median age because of its larger share of children.

• The population pyramid for Portland, OR, looks similar to Austin. It has a narrow base, and the working-age population bands are widest. However, Portland has wider bands in the older age groups, pushing its median age well over Austin’s.

• The population pyramid for San Jose, CA, is similar to that of Fort Worth, TX. However, with a more tapered base and wider bands in the older age groups, San Jose’s median age is closer to Portland's.

• Another distinguishing characteristic of the Austin pyramid compared to these peer cities is its steeper peak. Austin’s pyramid is heavily weighted by its young workforce and relatively fewer middle age and older adults, likely the result of an influx of young workers migrating into the city as some families move out and older adults age out of the population.

Between 2010 and 2020 the median age in Austin increased, rising from 31 to 33 years, meaning half of the population in Austin is older than 33 years and the other half is younger. Austin’s median age is younger than that of Texas (35.6) and the U.S. (38.8). Although Austin is over five years younger in median age than the U.S., it is aging at the same pace of 0.2 years annually. The increase in median age in Austin can be attributed to an increase in the older population, as well as a decrease in the population of young children. In 2010, there were 55,695 people 65 and older and 57,982 children under 5 in Austin. By 2020, those numbers had diverged substantially; there were 91,733 people 65 and older and 53,111 children under 5. Like in 2010, women (median age 33.1) in Austin remained slightly older than men (median age 33.0). The disparity between median ages of men and women is related to the higher number of females in older age groups as compared to males, as described in the section above.

The map below shows the median age of Austin compared to some of our peer cities. Among peer cities and other large cities in Texas, Austin remains one of the youngest, with a median age of 33.0. Only Columbus, OH, and Minneapolis, MN, have younger median ages, 32.3 and 32.6, respectively. Austin’s median age is significantly lower than West Coast and Pacific northwest peer cities, where the city closest in median age to Austin is Seattle, WA at 35.0. Most of these peer cities are also aging at a slower rate than Austin, with changes in median age ranging from -1.1 in Seattle, WA, to 2.4 in San Jose, CA.

Within Texas, Austin is slightly younger than Fort Worth (33.2) and Dallas (33.6) but more than a full year younger than Houston (34.2) and almost two years younger than San Antonio (35.9).

You can select each city within the map to see the median age, as well as other city-level statistics.

Within Austin, the White population had the highest median age at 36.2 years, followed by Black Austin residents with a median age of 33.3 and Asian Austinites at 30.8. Hispanics are the youngest race/ethnicity group with a median age of 29.3 years. However, median ages are growing older the fastest among Hispanics, increasing by over three years in the past decade. 

Below are two maps showing Austin's median age by census tract. On the left is the map for 2010 and on the right is the map for 2020. They are separated by a white bar with a double arrow in the middle. Moving this white bar to the right will reveal the (left) map of median ages in 2010. Moving this white bar to the left will reveal the (right) map of median ages in 2020. Clicking on any census tract will display a pop-up box with the median age for different groups in that tract. The button at the bottom left will display the legend with median age ranges. You can expand the map to full screen by clicking on the double arrows button at the top right.

Overall, most census tracts are older in 2020 than they were in 2010. While many parts of West Austin have higher median ages in both 2010 and 2020, the 2020 data show East Austin is also aging, with most census tracts having a median age in the 30s, closer to the city's overall median age of 33.0. The census tract with the highest median age in 2020 is in the Onion Creek neighborhood, with a median age of 61.8 years. The youngest areas of Austin in 2020 can be found around the University of Texas, St. Edward’s University, and near Riverside Dr. and Lakeshore Blvd. where much off-campus student housing can be found.

In addition to the university area, several areas across Austin got younger between 2010 and 2020. Suburban areas around Oak Hill saw a younging of their median age, declining from 39.6 to 32.1. This is likely a result of an influx of younger and growing families. Similarly, in northwest Austin, the area around the Jollyville Plateau north of RM 2222 became younger over the past ten years, going from 33.8 to 30.8. This decline in median age is likely due to the same influences as those around Oak Hill.

• People aged 65 and older are the fastest-growing age group in Austin.
• While the older population grew rapidly, Austin’s older population percentage is lower than peer cities, Texas, and the U.S.
• The share of Black and Hispanic older adults has declined in East Austin census tracts, while the share of White older adults has grown significantly in these areas.
• There is an increase in the share of older adults throughout Austin, but especially in West Austin, where census tracts have growing shares and overall numbers of older Austinites.

The older population, those aged 65 years and older, made up the fastest-growing age group in Austin, expanding from 55,695 (7.0% of 2010 population) to 91,733 (9.5% of 2020 population), and growing at a rate of 64.7%. The older male population grew faster than the older female population this last decade. White Austinites made up over 65% of the older population. However, the older Asian population grew fastest over the last decade, more than doubling in size. In 2020, Austin was home to 123 centenarians (those 100 years or older), made up mostly of White women.

Despite rapid growth in the older population, those 65 and older made up 9.5% of the total Austin population, just below the threshold of 10% demographers often use to define aging populations. For instance, Texas is an aging state with an older population at 12.3% of its total population. Additionally, among peer cities, Austin is the only city with an older population of less than ten percent. The next two youngest peer cities by this measure are Minneapolis, MN, and Fort Worth, TX, each with 10.6% of their populations over 65. Among Austin's peer cities, Jacksonville, FL, has the highest share of population 65 and over, making up 15% of its total population. However, Austin and its peer cities are still younger than the U.S., with 15.4% of its population being 65 years and older.

Use the chart below to learn more about the older population in different peer cities. You can compare Austin to other cities, as well as the state of Texas and the U.S.

Similar to the comparative median age map above, the following maps compare the change in the overall population and change in the older adult population within Austin census tracts. As you move the white bar to the right you reveal the left map, showing numeric change in the total population. As you move the white bar to the left you reveal the right map, showing numeric change among the older population. Areas in blue represent an increase in population and areas in red represent a decrease. We can see the largest overall population gains are mainly along the northern, northeastern, and southern perimeters of Austin, as well as in high-density areas like the Domain, Mueller, and downtown. By contrast, the largest population gains in the older adult population were mainly west of I-35, as well as in areas of northeast Austin.

Austin's older populations are also comprising greater shares of the neighborhoods in which they live. The following maps compare the 2010 and 2020 percentages, or share, of older population within each census tract. As you move the white bar to the right, you can view the share of older Austinites in 2010, and as you move the white bar to the left you can view the share of older Austinites in 2020. The darkest areas contain the highest shares of older Austinites. This comparison shows the share of older population within each census tract has increased throughout Austin, with the highest shares continuing to be in the western parts of Austin.

The changing share of the older population for different race and ethnicity groups within each census tract is an example of the demographic shifts that occurred in Austin over the past decade. The following maps will explore these changes in Austin's older populations in more detail.

• The overall child population grew between 2010 and 2020 and was driven mostly by growth among Asian children.
• Despite this growth, children comprised a smaller share of the population in 2020 than in 2010, which can be attributed to a decline among the youngest children.
• Black children experienced an overall decline between 2010 and 2020.
• Hispanic children also experienced an overall decline and are no longer the majority of the child population.
• Tracts near the city limits added the most children, suggesting families may be moving to the edges of the city.

The child population (those under 18) in Austin expanded from 175,465 to 186,421, growing at a rate of 6.2%. Growth among the child population was driven by growth in the school-age population, or children ages 10 and older and born the previous decade. Growth among the child population was also driven by growth in the Asian child population. Of the 10,956 children added between 2010 and 2020, 60% were Asian children. The White child population was the second greatest contributor to the child population growth.  

Among peer cities, we have one of the lower percentages of people under 18 at 19.4%. This is also well below the shares for the U.S. at 23.0% and Texas at 25.8%. Our Texas peer cities all have higher shares of children, with Dallas, TX, having the next-lowest share at 23.4%. Seattle, WA, has the lowest percent at 14.5%. Notably, Minneapolis, MN, one of only two peer cities with a lower median age than Austin, as well as the peer city with the second-lowest percentage of adults 65 and older (after Austin), also has a smaller share of the population that is under 18 at 18.8%

The report below looks more closely at the child population in different cities, as well as the state of Texas and the U.S.

The slow growth rate in the Austin child population can be attributed to population decline among young children, those under 5 years of age. There were 4,871 fewer young children in Austin in 2020 than in 2010. The slow growth rate and population decline seen among young children are in line with national trends of declining birth rates, especially among Latinas.

Declines among Black and Latino children were even more striking. Between 2010 and 2020, there were fewer Latino children under 5 and aged 5 to 9 years. African American children of all ages declined between 2010 and 2020. Additionally, Hispanic children no longer make up the majority of the child population in Austin, declining from 51% in 2010 to 44% in 2020. In addition to declining birth rates, Austin's lack of affordability could also be a contributing factor to the declines seen among Black and Latino children, as declines were also seen in older child age groups. Furthermore, declines among Black and Brown children in Austin were accompanied by growth among Latino and Black children in surrounding counties, especially Williamson and Hays, which likely indicates displacement.

The chart below breaks down the overall changes in the child population by age and race/ethnicity between 2010 and 2020.

Below, you can visually explore some key findings on Austin's child population.

• Austin has a healthy dependency ratio; it is lower than it was in 2010 and continues to be much lower than almost all of our peer cities, as well as Texas and the U.S.
• Austin has a large working-age population and growth in this population has outpaced the overall growth in dependent-age populations.
• The working-age population is boosted by migration to Austin, which in turn helps support our growing dependent-age populations.
• Successful planning should consider the increasing older population, a smaller share of children than in decades past, while also grappling with increasing unaffordability, providing stability for families, and welcoming new people to the workforce.

Isn’t age just a number? Sure, but the age distribution and share of certain age groups can have significant implications on an area’s economic growth potential. For this reason, looking at the ratio of economically-dependent populations, such as children and older adults, to the working-age population can provide important information. The higher this dependency ratio is, the more people each potential worker supports. The lower the ratio, the fewer the people dependent on each worker for tax revenues, which are used to support programs and services, as well as infrastructure.

 In 2020, the total dependency ratio in the U.S. was 63.6 children under age 18 and adults ages 65 and older for every 100 working-age adults ages 18 to 64. In Austin, the dependency ratio was 40.7, much lower than the U.S. overall. This ratio is also lower than Austin’s dependency ratio in 2010 of 41.3. Although Austin’s population continues to age and there was growth in the child population, the growth in the working-age population has outpaced the overall growth in the dependent-age populations.  

The report below summarizes information about dependency ratios by city. You can compare Austin to some of our peer cities, as well as the state of Texas and the U.S.

The Austin age structure, heavily weighted by a young workforce, gives Austin a strong economic stance. However, as these young workers age (assuming they remain in the city), and the relatively smaller child population replaces them in the workforce, migration will become increasingly important in maintaining Austin’s economic vitality. Luckily, Austin remains one of the few large U.S. cities that continues to add population. However, net migration to Austin has slowed and Austin's growth relative to the metro region is shrinking. All of these factors paired with the challenges of declining affordability make it critical for Austin to plan for an aging population, figure out ways to keep its older workforce and families in place, and to provide necessary resources for newcomers helping to boost the economy into the future.    

2010 to 2020 was a time of change for Austin. Austin continued its path of rapid growth and ended the decade on the precipice of the top 10 largest cities in the country. The data presented here show a sample of the demographic changes experienced in terms of age and sex by race/ethnicity and within parts of Austin. In the  next chapter of this report , we will describe changes in housing and the households built by individuals and families throughout the decade.