At night, parts of Austin are lit by "artificial moonlight" from Moonlight Towers[64] built to illuminate the central part of the city. The 165-foot (50 m) moonlight towers were built in the late 19th century and are now recognized as historic landmarks. Only 15 of the 31 original innovative towers remain standing in Austin, and none remain in any of the other cities where they were installed. The towers are featured in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused.
Downtown
Main article: Downtown Austin
The central business district of Austin is home to the tallest condo
towers in the state, with the under construction Independent (58 stories
and 690 feet (210 metres). tall) and The Austonian
(topping out at 56 floors and 685 feet (209 metres). tall). The
Independent will supplant The Austonian as the tallest all-residential
building in the U.S. west of the Mississippi River when completed in
2018.Former Mayor Will Wynn set out a goal for having up to 25,000 people living Downtown by 2015, and the city provided incentives for building residential units in the urban core.[65] Because of this, the city has been driven to increase density in Austin's urban core. The skyline has drastically changed in recent years, and the residential real estate market has remained relatively strong. As of December 2016, there are 31 high-rise projects either under construction, approved or planned to be completed in Austin's downtown core between 2017 and 2020. Sixteen of those are set to rise above 400 feet (120 metres). tall, including four above 600', and eight above 500'. An additional 15 towers are slated to stand between 300' and 399' tall.
Downtown growth has been aided by the presence of a popular live music and nightlife scene, museums, restaurants, and Lady Bird Lake, considered one of the city's best recreational spots. The 2nd Street District consists of several new residential projects, restaurants, upscale boutiques and other entertainment venues, as well as Austin's City Hall. Across 2nd Street from Austin's City Hall is the new ACL Live @ the Moody Theatre where the long-running PBS program Austin City Limits,[66] is filmed. It is located at the base of the new 478 feet (146 m) W Hotel.[67] The South by Southwest is a music, film and interactive festival which occurs over five days each March in downtown Austin, and includes one of the world's largest music festivals; with more than 3,000 acts playing in more than 100 venues.[citation needed]
Climate
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Summers in Austin are very hot. Average July and August highs frequently reach the high-90s °F (34–36 °C), and triple digits are common. Highs reach 90 °F (32 °C) on 116 days per year, and 100 °F (38 °C) on 18 days per year.[69] The highest ever recorded temperature was 112 °F (44 °C) occurring on September 5, 2000, and August 28, 2011.[70][71][72] Summer humidity is inconsistent and is highly dependent on the shifting patterns of air flow and wind direction. Humidity rises when the air drifts inland from the Gulf of Mexico, but decreases significantly when the air is channeled through the Chihuahuan Desert of West Texas.[69]
Winters in Austin are mild. Daytime highs in December and January average 63 °F (17 °C) and 62 °F (17 °C), respectively, and the overnight low reaches or exceeds freezing only 19 times per year.[69] The temperature falls below 45 °F (7 °C) during 88 evenings per year, including most nights between mid-December and mid-February. The lowest ever recorded temperature was −2 °F (−19 °C) on January 31, 1949.[73] Roughly every two years Austin experiences an ice storm that freezes roads over and cripples travel in the city for 24 to 48 hours.[73] When Austin received 0.04 inches (1 mm) of ice on January 24, 2014, there were 278 vehicular collisions.[74] Similarly, snowfall is exceptionally rare in Austin.[75] A snow event of 0.9 inches (2 cm) on February 4, 2011, caused more than 300 car crashes.[76] A 13-inch (33 cm) snowstorm brought the city to a near standstill in 1985.[77]
| [show]Climate data for Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas (1981–2010 normals,[a] extremes 1891–present)[b] |
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2011 drought
Main article: 2011 Southern US drought
The 2011 Texas drought dried up much of Central Texas water ways. This
boat was left to sit in the middle of what is normally a branch of Lake Travis, part of the Colorado River.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 629 | — | |
| 1860 | 3,494 | 455.5% | |
| 1870 | 4,428 | 26.7% | |
| 1880 | 11,013 | 148.7% | |
| 1890 | 14,575 | 32.3% | |
| 1900 | 22,258 | 52.7% | |
| 1910 | 29,860 | 34.2% | |
| 1920 | 34,876 | 16.8% | |
| 1930 | 53,120 | 52.3% | |
| 1940 | 87,930 | 65.5% | |
| 1950 | 132,459 | 50.6% | |
| 1960 | 186,545 | 40.8% | |
| 1970 | 253,539 | 35.9% | |
| 1980 | 345,890 | 36.4% | |
| 1990 | 465,622 | 34.6% | |
| 2000 | 656,562 | 41.0% | |
| 2010 | 790,390 | 20.4% | |
| Est. 2015 | 931,830 | [82] | 17.9% |
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| [hide]Racial composition | 2010[84] | 1990[37] | 1970[37] | 1950[37] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 68.3% | 70.6% | 87.2% | 86.6% |
| —Non-Hispanic | 48.7% | 61.7% | 73.4%[85] | n/a |
| Black or African American | 8.1% | 12.4% | 11.8% | 13.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 35.1% | 23.0% | 14.5%[85] | n/a |
| Asian | 6.3% | 3.0% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
- White: 68.3% (Non-Hispanic Whites: 48.7%)
- Hispanic or Latino: 35.1% (29.1% Mexican, 0.5% Puerto Rican, 0.4% Cuban, 5.1% Other)
- African American: 8.1%
- Asian: 6.3% (1.9% Indian, 1.5% Chinese, 1.0% Vietnamese, 0.7% Korean, 0.3% Filipino, 0.2% Japanese, 0.8% Other)
- American Indian: 0.9%
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%
- Two or More Races: 3.4%
Austin's racial and ethnic geography - Red is Non-Hispanic White, Blue
is African-American, Green is Asian-American, Orange is Hispanic/Latino,
Gray is Other. Each dot represents 25 people.
In the city, the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 16.6% from 18 to 24, 37.1% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 105.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was US$42,689, and the median income for a family was $54,091. Males had a median income of $35,545 vs. $30,046 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,163. About 9.1% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over. The median house price was $185,906 in 2009, and it has increased every year since 2004.[needs update][87] The median value of a house in which the owner occupies it was $227,800 in 2014, which is higher than the average American home value of $175,700. [Census]
A 2014 University of Texas study stated that Austin was the only U.S. city with a fast growth rate between 2000 and 2010 with a net loss in African-Americans. As of 2014, Austin's African-American and Non-Hispanic White share of the total population is declining despite the absolute number of both ethnic groups increasing. Austin's Non-Hispanic White population first dropped below 50% in 2005. The rapid growth of the Hispanic and Asian population has outpaced all other ethnic groups in the city.[88][89]
According to one survey completed in 2014, it is estimated that at least 5.3% (48,000+) of Austin's residents identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender.[90] Austin had the third highest rate in the nation.[91]
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