When you live in Texas... Well, there’s just no place better. And if you live in Austin, that’s kind of like sitting in heaven’s luxury box.

Austin is the state capital of Texas, but it’s known for much more than politics. Austin is also the capital of live music, barbecue, entrepreneurs and progressive thinkers.

When in Austin you can party with Willie Nelson, cycle with Lance Armstrong and be awed by the sight of 1.5 million bats taking flight each evening from under the Congress Avenue bridge. Trust us, it really is cool.

Whether it’s the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country, or the pride of doing business with world technology leaders, Austin is a place that will inspire you.

Geography

The limestone hills and sparking waterways of Austin have attracted people to this part of the country for thousands of years. Barton Springs boasts a long legacy of human habitation, and once those prehistoric people discovered Austin’s beauty, they may have evolved, but they have never left. Check out the sunset from Mt. Bonnell and you’ll discover for yourself why poet, O. Henry wrote that Austin looks as though it wore a “violet crown.”

Austin is on the border between the Texas flatlands and the famous Hill Country, a region of rugged limestone hills that can be seen from Austin’s suburbs. The Hill Country boasts deep caverns ripe for exploring, and many trails for mountain biking and running.

The Region

Located on the left side of a triangle formed by Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston, Austin’s population ranks as the nation’s 16th largest city. The total metro population is around 1.2 million. Austin was selected as the No. 1 Best Big City in "Best Places to Live" by Money magazine in 2006, and the "Greenest City in America" by MSN.

What makes Austin such a popular place to live and work? Much of the recent growth has come from the boom in technology. Since the mid-’60s technology has moved into Austin. Today, corporations like IBM, Texas Instruments, Motorola, Dell, Samsung, and 3M call Austin home. The region is often referred to as the Silicon Hills as a tech-counterpart to the Silicon Valley, making Austin fertile ground for patent and trademark law.

In addition to technology, major industries in Austin include music and filmmaking. If its worth listening to or watching, chances are it was made in Austin. On any given day you can catch live music in one of nearly 200 music venues around town and see movies being made right on the street.

Recreation

If you like music and dancing, we’ve already covered why Austin is such a great place. But outside of the concert halls and dance venues, there is a whole other side of Austin to play in.

You can also visit the Austin Zoo, play golf on one of 15 public and private courses close to Austin. Get wet on one of Central Texas’ Highland Lakes, or find yourself in the dark at Texas’ most accessible cavern. This amazing site has been around for millions of years but was just discovered in the 1960s.

Boating, waterskiing and fishing are popular past times, and there are dozens of places to hit the throttle, raise a sail, and land a lunker.

As the gateway to the Texas Hill Country, after several miles on a bicycle, you’ll learn why Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong calls Austin home. Hiking, running and rock climbing opportunities are right outside your door.

Culture

Austin’s fine art scene is energized and features something for everyone. Home of the University of Texas Performing Arts Center and other cultural facilities, Austin attracts well-known artists and performers both nationally and internationally.

Beyond the two step and barbecue, you can sample Austin’s wonderful symphony orchestra, ballet, opera, theatre, and other performing arts.

Museums, art galleries, theatres, restaurants and comedy clubs abound in Austin. The Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library resides in Austin, and the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library is close by in College Station.

The Austin area is unique for its combination of Spanish and Central European influences in food, beer, architecture, and music that forms a distinct, vibrant culture separate from the rest of Texas.

No matter what your cultural interests, you will find a place for them to expand in Austin.

Cost of Living

Austin, Texas has got a lot going for it. Affordable housing and cost of living expenses are among the region’s benefits. While housing costs have risen over the past decade, the cost is generally lower than comparable cities in the U.S. This is one of the reasons why Austin continually places in the top 25 or higher as one of the Best Places to Live.

In fact, the Council of Community and Economic Research ranks Austin as the third-lowest cost of living among nine other U.S. cities ahead of Atlanta, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco. And when was the last time you had decent barbecue in Boston?

You can get into a nice, 2,200 square foot, 4-bedroom home in the Austin area for under $200,000. Try doing that in San Francisco. Rents for a two bedroom, two bath apartment in Austin average around $800 a month. Obviously, a nice thing about living and working in Austin is that all of your income won’t go to put a roof over your head.