Moving from Chicago, IL, to Austin, TX

Heading southwest from the Windy City

Moving southwest from Chicago, Illinois, to Austin, TX, is a trek of around 1,120 miles. And although Austin’s population of just under a million residents is smaller than Chicago’s 2.7 million, you’ll find that the metropolitan area in the capital city of Texas is quite large, with over 2.4 million people. Plus, Austin is the second most populous capital city in the United States. Keep reading to learn more about your new home in the Lone Star State.

Plan for a warmer climate

You can expect warmer weather year-round in Austin when compared to Chicago. Austin’s temperatures typically stay between 43 and 97 degrees (22 and 83 degrees for Chicago). Summers in Austin are hot and dry. Winters are short and cold with rare snowfall — the city’s annual average snowfall is effectively zero inches. It’s unlikely you’ll need to pack any snow gear from Chicago when you relocate to Texas.

Find your music scene

In 1991, Austin residents declared their beloved home “the Live Music Capital of the World” after research discovered the city had the most live music venues per capita. Since adopting the slogan, the city has continued to grow in the music scene. It’s estimated that nearly 2,000 bands and solo artists live in or near Austin and perform at one of the almost 200 venues across the city. You can also catch one of the large music festivals in Austin, including South by Southwest (SXSW) and Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL).

Work in Austin

The cost of living in Austin is high, but luckily, so are the salaries compared to other similarly sized cities. And the unemployment rate is lower than the national average. Since Austin is the state capital of Texas, you can expect multiple government jobs at the city, state and federal levels.

Austin's big industries are advanced manufacturing, clean technology, data management, digital and creative media, financial services, life sciences and space technology.

Other top employers include:

  • Apple
  • Austin Independent School District
  • IBM
  • St. David’s HealthCare Partnership
  • The University of Texas at Austin
     

U-Pack can move you to the Lone Star State

With our service centers near Chicago and Austin, U-Pack® can help with your move to the Lone Star State of Texas. We’re a self-moving service where you do the packing, loading and unloading, and we handle all the driving. Get your free online quote today or give us a call at 844-362-5303844-594-3077.