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Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos added about 357,000 households from 2014 to 2024, rising from 703,976 households to 1,061,155. That’s about a 51% increase in just ten years. Nationally, the number of households grew roughly 13% during the same period. Here’s why this matters for REALTORS®: household growth is one of the most direct signals of housing demand over time. More households typically mean more demand for housing of all types - rentals, starter homes, move-up homes, and downsizing options.

A Quick But Important Note When Comparing Metros: Sometimes the “Metro” Changes

Before we get into who is forming households in Austin, it’s worth noting a technical detail that can affect metro comparisons over time. Some metro areas change their geographic coverage when the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) updates metro delineations. In plain English: the list of counties included in a metro can change, and counties can be added or removed as commuting patterns and standards evolve.

So when you see a metro with very high growth over a long period, it’s smart to ask: Is this all “true” household growth, or did the metro’s footprint change too? That doesn’t mean the growth isn’t real; it just means that some metros can look higher partly because the boundary changed.

Thus, the analysis included only metro areas with unchanged geographic coverage over the period. That way, we’re comparing apples to apples. Austin’s growth is not the result of counties being added or a redefinition of the metro area; it reflects real household formation over time.

Who Is Driving Austin’s Growth?

What’s especially interesting is that this growth isn’t coming from just one age group. Yes, young adults played a large role. Households headed by people in their late 20s and 30s grew significantly. And those are the classic years for household formation. That’s when people move for jobs, form families, and step into the housing market for the first time.

Strong growth in those age groups boosts demand for rentals, starter homes, and eventually move-up properties. It keeps the entry-level demand very strong and competitive.

But older households grew rapidly in this market, too. The number of households headed by those 65 and older increased significantly over the decade, and their share of total households rose. That tells us Austin isn’t just attracting younger workers. It’s also keeping residents as they age. That kind of growth creates steady demand for different types of housing: single-level homes, properties with less maintenance, and communities that allow people to age in place.

Even the under-25 group grew, which helps explain why rental demand has remained resilient. However, due to the massive influx of new apartment buildings, rental prices in the area have dropped.

In other words, Austin added households across the board. When only one age group drives the market, demand tends to be concentrated in a single segment. But when young adults, families, and older households are all growing at the same time, housing demand becomes stronger across multiple price points and housing types. Here is why: Starter homes remain in demand. Move-up homes stay competitive. Downsizing options matter more.

For information on the demographic trends in your local area, visit the members-only local market dashboard.

Metro Market Statistics Dashboard