City comparison
Yes. Los Angeles's crime index is 158 versus 162 in Austin, and its violent crime index is 202 versus 130, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Austin is cheaper. Median rent is $1,729 a month versus $1,933 in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles and Austin are closer on paper than many city pairs, so the move comes down to how you weight cost, safety, and climate. Typical rent sits near $1,933 in Los Angeles and $1,729 in Austin, and median household income lands at $81,939 versus $93,658. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.
This is a genuine split. Los Angeles wins on safety and Austin wins on cost of living and the job market. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.
The move
Los Angeles and Austin are 1,225 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,933 a month in Los Angeles to $1,729 a month in Austin, down $204 a month (11%).
Median household income goes from $81,939 in Los Angeles to $93,658 in Austin, up $11,719 (14%).
The crime index goes from 158 in Los Angeles to 162 in Austin, up 4 points (3%).
The move
Austin and Los Angeles are 1,225 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,729 a month in Austin to $1,933 a month in Los Angeles, up $204 a month (12%).
Median household income goes from $93,658 in Austin to $81,939 in Los Angeles, down $11,719 (13%).
The crime index goes from 162 in Austin to 158 in Los Angeles, down 4 points (2%).
Los Angeles, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Austin, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Los Angeles and Austin? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
11% cheaper
Austin rent is 11% cheaper than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
$1,933/mo
Austin
Winner$1,729/mo
Typical rent runs $1,729 a month in Austin versus $1,933 in Los Angeles, so Austin is 11% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,448, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Austin still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Los Angeles.
Planning to buy in Austin? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
14% higher
Austin's median income is 14% higher than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
$81,939
Austin
Winner$93,658
Median household income is $93,658 in Austin versus $81,939 in Los Angeles, so typical pay runs 14% higher in Austin (about $11,719 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Austin is the stronger labor market on paper. Los Angeles can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
2% lower crime
Los Angeles's crime index is 2% lower than Austin
Los Angeles
Winner158 (100 = avg)
Austin
162 (100 = avg)
Los Angeles's crime index is 158 versus 162 in Austin (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 2% lower in Los Angeles. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Los Angeles, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Austin. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Los Angeles and Austin are about even on typical weather.
Los Angeles
76°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
Austin
76°F avg · 85°F highs · comfort 100/100
Los Angeles averages about 76°F (83°F highs); Austin averages about 76°F (85°F highs). Los Angeles sits near 76°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Austin sits near 76°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Los Angeles is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 2% lower than Austin (158 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Austin is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 11% cheaper here at about $1,729 a month. Choose Austin if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Austin is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 14% higher here ($93,658). Start with Austin if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
Austin posts $93,658 median household income against $81,939 in Los Angeles. That 13% pay gap is the story when rents are $1,933 in Los Angeles and $1,729 in Austin.
Safety scores read 46/100 in Los Angeles and 45/100 in Austin.
Austin leads on local pay ($93,658 median income vs $81,939), even though rent runs $1,729 versus $1,933 — skip Austin only if you are optimizing for the cheaper lease, not the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,729 in Austin and $1,933 in Los Angeles.
Common questions
Ready to move to Austin?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for Austin when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Los Angeles and Austin, plus other cities in CA and TX.
