Town Hall · Austin

Austin, TX town hall & government

Austin spent $5.1 billion in the year to September 30, 2023, about $5,301 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Austin's government.

Local leadership

Who runs Austin

From public records (Open States and Wikidata), which can lag behind an election. If a name is out of date, tell us: when two neighbors agree, it's hidden until the records catch up.

Town budget

Where Austin's money goes

Spent
$5.1 billion
fiscal year to September 30, 2023
Per resident
$5,301
typical Texas cities: $2,331
Long-term debt
$7.9 billion
$8,173 per resident
Water & other utilities
$2.1 billion41%
Roads & transportation
$688.8 million13%
Sewer & trash
$393.4 million8%
Police
$364.6 million7%
Parks & libraries
$279.4 million5%
Health & welfare
$235.6 million5%
Fire
$229.6 million4%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$138.2 million3%
Administration & buildings
$132.8 million3%
Interest on debt
$115.8 million2%
Housing & development
$93.8 million2%
Other
$339 million7%

Where the money comes from

  • Utility sales 39%
  • Fees & charges 22%
  • Property taxes 19%
  • Sales taxes 10%
  • Interest, fines & other 4%
  • From the federal government 2%
  • Other taxes & licenses 2%
  • From the state 1%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Austin

Full-time staff
16,469
1,009 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$128,100
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
1,559
and 1,223 full-time firefighters
Water & other utilities
2,777 full-time96 part
Parks & libraries
2,137 full-time327 part
Police
2,203 full-time48 part
Roads & transportation
1,805 full-time271 part
Health & welfare
1,517 full-time45 part
Sewer & trash
1,415 full-time41 part
Fire
1,410 full-time4 part
Administration & buildings
1,248 full-time70 part
Housing & development
672 full-time25 part
Courts, inspections & corrections
277 full-time19 part
Other
1,008 full-time63 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Austin Independent School District

Austin's K–12 school district, shared with San Leanna and Sunset Valley. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$14,133
Texas: $12,815
Students
72,830
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$2.5 billion
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Texas districts overall: 51% local, 36% state, 13% federal

  • Local 80%
  • State 8%
  • Federal 12%

Of the $14,133 per pupil, $7,639 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Also serving Austin: Del Valle Independent School District ($13,965 per pupil) · Round Rock Independent School District ($11,944 per pupil) · Leander Independent School District ($10,850 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in Austin pay

Typical tax bill
$8,024
a year · Texas typical $4,232
Effective rate
1.44%
of home value · Texas 1.49%
Typical home value
$555,300
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Austin's government

🏛️ Official websiteaustintexas.gov ↗

Town hall & decisions in Austin →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Austin

Austin is represented in Congress by Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and Representatives Lloyd Doggett, Greg Casar, Michael T. McCaul and Chip Roy. Greg Abbott is governor.

All of Austin's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01