Relocating your home from one city to another is an exciting process but it is also a challenging one. To make sure that you are making a step forward, you need to do some preparation before you commit to the transition. First of all, you want to find a neighborhood that is “better” than your current one. To be able to do this, you are going to need to conduct some research. You will also need to make sure that you select the best moving company Texas has to offer, to help you with moving from Arlington to Austin. In this article, we will provide you with a small guide to get you started on the right path.
A simple guide to moving from Arlington to Austin
In essence, there are “only” two things that you need to do:
- Get to know the differences between Arlington and Austin
- Research your new neighborhood carefully
While this may sound very simple, it is actually a very challenging process. Figuring out a better place to live is never easy, and you want to give the matter your complete attention. You will be committing to a new neighborhood for a considerable period, after all. Going through relocation is not exactly something you want to do every month, after all. With that in mind, your starting point needs to be the cities themselves and finding out more about them.
The first order of business is to compare the cities.
Arlington statistics
The city of Arlington TX is known to be one of the best cities to buy a house in the country. This is largely due to the fact that the median home value in Arlington is as low as $171,000. When you consider that the national average is about $218,000, it is a true bargain. However, this presents you with a slight problem if you already own a home, as you will most likely not be able to get a similarly-sized one in Austin.
There are around 400,000 people living in Arlington, making the area feel densely suburban. The median income in the city is slightly lower than the national average, at $60,600. However, the lower median income also means that long distance moving companies Arlington has to offer are usually cheaper than their Austin counterparts. While the distance between Arlington and Austin is not extreme, it is still a bit more than a 3-hour drive. Thus, you will want to choose the movers that can offer you a good price.
The main issue and the main reason (aside from median income) why people are relocating away from the city lies in its public school system. Public schools in Arlington are not highly rated, and there are some crime rate concerns as well.
Austin statistics
The Texas capital, Austin, is home to almost 1 million people. Needless to say, it is also one of the best places to live in the entire state, if not the best. It all depends on what you want from your city, after all. Austin has excellent statistics across the board, with housing and crime rate being a slight concern. But this is in line with most of the larger cities in the country. The median home value in Austin is around $340,000, which is almost double the price of homes in Arlington. This means that you will most likely have to downsize if you are making the transition. When it comes to the rent, you can expect to pay about $1,280 on rent alone in Austin.
Even though Austin is a capital city, it still retains that urban-suburban mix that Texas cities are famous for. There are areas with plenty of open spaces and there are densely-packed urban areas. You will want to choose your neighborhood carefully (more on that soon). The median household income in Austin is noticeably higher than in Arlington, standing at about $71,600. For this reason, it may be in your best interest to consider one of the long distance moving companies Austin has to offer, as they might have greater resources than their Arlington counterparts. Also, you might want to get ready for somewhat higher commute times when moving from Arlington to Austin, as Austin is a huge city that is rapidly growing.
Even though Austin is an urban city, there are plenty of green spaces.
And you will be happy to know that Austin’s public schools are highly rated. If you are moving with school-ready kids, this might be the main reason why you made the decision.
Arlington vs Austin – living costs
You may not believe this, but living in Austin is actually less expensive than living in Arlington. That is if you disregard the difference in housing costs when moving from Arlington to Austin, of course. While the median home cost is significantly higher in Austin, all of the other expenses are either the same or lower. Let’s say that the national average is 100. Below that number is cheaper, above the number is more expensive than the national average.
In Arlington, you will pay 98.1 for food and groceries while in Austin you will pay 96.7. When it comes to utilities, they are 100 in Arlington vs 99.1 in Austin. Transportation costs are 114.6 in Arlington versus 109.9 in Austin. The largest discrepancy is in housing, of course, as Arlington’s 88.5 significantly beats Austin’s 159.6. Even so, if you are content with moving into a smaller home, you can expect your living costs to be actually lower than they were in Arlington. With this in mind, you can freely select one of the best long distance movers for your relocation, knowing that you will “get back” the money after a few months living in your new home.
Living in Austin is actually cheaper than in Arlington.
Finding the best neighborhood
But home is much more than the house or an apartment that you live in. Your entire neighborhood will become your home. Therefore, you will want to make sure that you choose your neighborhood well when moving from Arlington to Austin. There are several amazing neighborhoods in the best moving company Texas, like Old Enfield, Triangle State, and Gateway, but they are not the only ones worth your time. Make it a priority to find the neighborhood that has everything that you liked in Arlington, but with added amenities. It should not be very difficult, as Austin has many more amenities compared to Arlington.