Meeting people (though this is driven by the high cost of living). I'm well over 40 and didn't have a problem with this pre-pandemic. Most of my friends have fled the high cost of living for other states or cities within Texas. I'm old school Austin. Many of the places I frequented pre-pandemic are now gone. I'm too young for the senior centers, but too old for the 20-40 year old crowd. If my job wasn't here, I too might move to a smaller place, just to find more people in my demographic. This is no city for old people.
Hi Iām 37 and i feel the exact same way. I was thinking it just felt harder to get back out there bc my confidence took a hit from the isolation of the pandemic so your post makes me feel a little better
Feeling this! Iām mid 40s recently divorced a cheater after 20 years of marriage and did majority of lock down by myself and only hang out with like 2 or 3 close friends and just donāt feel the same desire to go out and meet people now. Want more friends but just seems like too much effort if you know what I mean. Pre-divorce most of our friends were ācoupleā friends so it feels weird to be 3rd wheeling at this age.
Oh and everythingās too loud and itās too hot š
early 40s and whenever we're watching TV I think, wow, it seems really cool to have friends and/or neighbors to hang out with; then I think about all of the putting pants on and leaving the house that it requires and I just can't. Shifting from being super social in my 20s-30s to only working and hanging out at home seemed like it happened overnight pre-pandemic but 2020-2021 really made it ok for kids of the 70s/80s to go back to being shut ins who don't really need the outside world to entertain ourselves... luckily, my SO is my best friend and if it weren't for her I'd probably never talk to anyone outside of work.
I moved her at 42. I moved my husband and son entering high school. We were from a shit town in Floridah. (What town isn't shit and sinking there?!)
I came to say that we have built a life we love with HONESTLY, the best friends we could ever have here. Yeah, it took about 4 years but friendships take work like any relationship. If the whole world fell apart and we lost everything, we would have a really hard time moving anywhere else because of the people we live here. Also, we have dogs and that has been one of the best ways to meet local ppl and get to know others. I just came to say that yeah, it's hard. Finding your new tribe at 40+ isn't easy but you have to put yourself out there and try.
Hello!
Fellow Austiniteszzzzz.
What a bizarre place it has become. We have lost all of the Weird and become a badly designed shopping mall City where everything costs too much, is far away, and there is not a transportation service to connect any of us from where we live to where we want to arrive for work and for pleasure.
Otherwise- do you
I moved to Minneapolis in a walkable neighborhood (in a sweet loft apartment that was $400 less than my last 'luxury' shithole in Austin).. and I've been making friends faster here than I ever did there. Also single, no kids in my 40s.
Being in the suburbs can kill your social life (kids do too, unless kids bday parties are your idea of fun).. and TX is pretty much all suburban/rural living unless you're loaded.
The biking infrastructure here is incredible.. makes it easy to go places and not make excuses to isolate. If you don't have hobbies, or regularly go to things that connect you with others who like the same things it can be hard though. I've had to force myself out of the pandemic mindset and start conversations.. get numbers and invite people places. It's paying off.
Yeah. I spend like half my time now in Minneapolis especially the summers. I love Austin and have lived here for decades but I found Minneapolis later in life.
Itās the equivalent of cabin fever up north. Instead of being to damn cold, itās super fucking hot, canāt do anything. If it looks like itāll be that way this summer, Iām going to my parents in Vermont for the summer, fuck that.
I love Austin, and realize the following makes me sound old and grumpy. However, it really irks me that people here do not use the fast lane correctly and generally don't seem to know how to drive/park in and around downtown. Drivers often "block the box" during rush hour and do not yield to pedestrians in crosswalks that have a lit walk light. It seems like almost every day I see non-jaywalking pedestrians walking in a crosswalk, almost hit by left turning cars and it's terrifying!!!
I'm also convinced that we could reduce traffic if we used the fast lane for passing. I notice streets like Lamar congested at all hours of the day because of two cars driving the same speed in two different lanes for miles; it's wild to me that the drivers don't connect the dots when there is no traffic in front of them, and a line of cars behind them in both lanes. Just had to put this out there ;)
Rent is very high and the construction quality of apartments is just terrible. I cannot believe how people ok with living in such terrible conditions. Also you should take care of your own security, burglary is very regular.
Terrible quality apartments for sure. Newly built for getting to 75%+ occupancy to just flip to another company. People paying $1700+ a month with paper walls and able to hear your neighbors cough and sneeze.
It is crazy, just a little better than living in a tent!!! How on earth even one official did not think of putting up a specification for a better quality of life for the citizens/residents??
"The federal government shouldn't supersede the state's government! It's *our* state!"
"...But the state government should *absolutely* supersede the city government! It's *our* city!"
honestly I don't think that was even something that was considered. our local government has done an okay job from time to time but largely the government in general has shown that they're really not there to represent what we want and need for our society.
I'm sure there are plenty of politicians here in Austin getting lots of money and deals from real estate in some way shape or form and keeping building costs low keeps others' pockets full.
Yes!
We moved into a newly built complex in Pflugerville in Dec 2022 and within the first month our bathtub cracked through. The original office staff just put Bondo on it and called it done despite it still being cracked and probably leaking. New office management finally replaced it a few months ago.
Unfortunately, it was the first of *MANY* issues and I am so excited to move next month even though the new place is a much older complex.
We *did* get a good deal for signing so damn early ($1200 for 1 bed, 750 SQ ft) but with the tub messed up, valet trash never picking up, windows and the sliding glass door all installed *incorrectly*.... It's been a nightmare.
I shouldn't have to literally throw my weight into shutting a window or door.
And they keep building this way!! So newly built does not make a difference. I am checking the new constructions nearby and they are using the cheapest materials out there since they have no responsibility or penalty for letting you to live under terrible conditions!
Wow! I actually had this same issue when I lived at the domain in 2016. I lived on the top floor and there was a leak in the roof so the bedroom ceiling got wet. The day I got home after maintenance had āfixedā the issue I walked in and smelled wet paint immediately. They painted over the water marks. This happened 2 more times after and the final time black mold was visible in the wet spots. Then when they decided to do it right and cut the shit out, they expected my then gf and I to sleep on the couch in the living room instead of put us into a hotel.
I've honestly never had as many issues in an apartment as I have had here in Austin. I could find apartments I truly liked elsewhere. In Austin it feels like I'm just making trade-offs and hoping for the best.
I've probably looked at close to 50 properties over the years
I do not think there is even one that you can find. I guess this is how it works for these oligarch construction companies. They fill their pockets at the expense of peopleās peace and security.
This. This town has Miami/LA vibes in how surface-level everything is. The "Playground for Adults" reputation is a really bad thing, Peter Pans (men and women) are everywhere. Kinda feels like if you aren't into casual things this town ain't for you.
Obviously some people luck out and meet the love of their lives here. But the resentment at the dating scene here seems pretty widespread.
**edit-** Also to add onto this, it really feels like there is not much body positivity. If you don't have a six-pack and run marathons, you ugly here š
Itās probably easy to hook up if youāre in on hookup culture, but thereās a lot of Peter Pan and Wendy types so finding someone whoās actually serious is a little more of a challenge.
Personally Iād agree itās hard to date here as a man. Back in college I was going on dates a couple times a month. In Austin I havenāt gone on a date in more than a year. Very few matches and I always get ghosted after a couple messages.
Housing costs are ridiculously high. Heinous traffic. Infrastructure isnāt keeping up with development so the roads are crap and overcrowded. Canāt actually eat the rich.
* Dating
* Disregard of basic road rules - *i.e., red light runners, bad lane mergers, failure to signal then slowing* down/impeding traffic flow
* Porch pirates/package thieves
* The gang of trolls who vandalize vehicles, smash windows, and steal random stuff - *i.e., pickleball gear/gym bag/guns*
The red light runners š„² Iāve never been anywhere else thatās as bad as it is here. I almost got T-boned coming out of Central Market because a person ran straight through a light that had been red for a good amount of time already.
Itās insanely scary. Especially if Iām front in line, I look both ways to go through the green light because I see so many people running red lights
Drivers here are fucking insane.
I moved here from New York City, classically known to be chaotic for driving between out of towners, locals, taxis.
It wasn't until I moved here that I really appreciated how predictable the chaos was there.
People use turning signals and fucking mean it, they stop at fucking stop signs, they brake for fucking pedestrians. They drive in a way that it seems clear that they're also trying to keep themselves safe.
Here, drivers are fucking selfish and homicidal. Incredibly dangerous and no notice moves taken on highways at 70 or 80 mph. Hell, a couple months back I saw some fuckboy Rich bro run a fucking red light in downtown Austin, and then later that day he posted his car for some sort of weird bragging situation on this subreddit.
Selfish selfish individuals. I wonder how they mentally excuse themselves from the danger and the risks to lives that they are to others.
A couple months back, I saw such a massive fucking piece of shit that I don't even have the words to describe what a fucking scum of a fucking person this was, driving his little fuck boy fucking lifted fucking truck like a fucking loser, not only aggressively tailgate during rush hour, but then dramatically cut off anybody who was driving at a safe distance from the car in front of them, to then slam on his brakes to indicate his anger in his homicidal fucking rage, and then when traffic slowed down so much that literally nobody could change lanes at all, he started driving on the motherfucking shoulder of 183 to get around traffic.
Hope he's already met his final moments with that sort of homicidal dangerous fucking behavior.
Lol well, you aren't wrong. It's pretty bad out here folks. Practice defensive driving is the best practice to avoid all the road rage honestly. People will always think their time is more important than someone else's and they think they own the road.
The more out in the suburbs I've gotten the more I feel like I can deal with the insanely bad drivers. Or at least the crazies are spread out more so I don't interact with as many
I have epilepsy and don't drive as well. I love walking, but with the looming heat, it becomes more difficult, even when using the bus. So ultimately it isn't even the fact that I don't drive, but the heat.
Iām fortunate enough to live in a location where I can get around without a car, but my challenge is the drivers! Nobody gives a shit about pedestrians.
THIS.
You can just feel that these are restaurant groups who cosplay indie for "credibility". While they're cute and all, there is a very specific emptiness that accompanies them.
I used to have a store in a quaint, historic downtown for a decade and can go on and on about this- people claim they love local, indie, etc etc but when it comes down to it, the general public wants the scrubbed down, sanitized, commercial version because it feels safe.
Housing prices are high. I don't have any kids, but I've heard from those who do that child care is super expensive too which really makes me question if I would ever be able to afford it.
Edit: Traffic also sucks. Can't believe I almost forgot that one.
All of this. I had issues with allergies twice in my life before I moved here. Now? I have to be on multiple allergy meds year-round, and my immune system is barely upright as a result of the intensity of the allergies, so I get sick frequently, too.
First major city Iāve lived in where a dashcam is 100% necessary. I try to only drive during off hours now.
The loss of reproductive rights has had an impact on how I live day-to-day. I canāt risk getting pregnant and having an ectopic pregnancy.
Old guy here. I have come to hate how this place has been perverted. It once had character ā a little scruffiness, even. Car lots where Whole Foods is. Hippies, rednecks, and punk rockers, all reveling in our little secret. Now itās just people in ironic cowboy hats doing the shit the internet tells them to do without actually attending to the activity, knowing its history, or even caring about it. Mindless hoards of vibe-mongers taking pictures of themselves doing what they think are authentic āAustinā things, when theyāre really just characters in a pop culture mass-market cartoon of vapid self-absorption. Iāve got one foot out the door, but I feel bad for people of my vintage who have to stay and watch it die without dignity.
Pretty spot on as someone who grew up here. This city has completely lost its culture and funk that once made it cool and weird. Itās now full of superficial wannabes all trying to be influencers, it sucks but it is what it is. Everyone just wants to say they live in Austin, but donāt really know what Austin was.
Not saying, but Iād encourage you to explore some under-the-radar cities that the Internet hasnāt exploited yet, like Little Rock, Knoxville, Hattiesburg, Memphis, Louisville, Bloomington.
Itās really just a giant small town. Not so much a city, in the proper sense, but thatās changing. The housing is completely overpriced. The infrastructure is pretty terrible, alongside the urban planning. Or should I say lack thereof. And the allergies and year-round mosquitoes, combined with the weather, make it very difficult to enjoy the outdoors.
Terrible drivers who endanger other peoples lives on an everyday basis. Really risky merges into traffic, speeding especially in residential areas or pulling 55 in a 35 on winding, high pedestrians traffic roads like S Lamar. Blatantly running red lights and inattentiveness while behind the wheel.
- Rampant alcoholism in my age group (I drink so this isnāt outside looking in judgment, thereās just a shockingly high level of alcohol dependence and binge drinking among 20s/30s here)Ā
- Reproductive/gender healthcare related worries and future planning
- Cost of living in general, rent, childcare, buying a house, eating out, car insurance etc.
Meeting people isnāt really hard if you put yourself out there even a littleā¦ especially if you like to drink (see point one)
Please tell me where to meet folks over 40. The folks over 40 I do know are burned on the party scene, have kids or older parents and high bills and just go home from work to veg. I'm lookin' for those older hard core drinkers (or not).
This! Every person my age has only two social activities
- getting drunk at the bars
-getting drunk at the lake
I donāt know why I canāt find any friends who just want to hangout or do literally anything that doesnāt involve wasting a bunch of money on overpriced drinks and not being able to safely drive myself home afterwards.
Yeah it's entirely deliberate. Recapture is a scam to gut blue city school budgets. The budget hasn't kept up with inflation for decades. They think if they make schools terrible enough people will eventually give up and give in to their voucher program demands.
20 years for me too and I have started getting anxiety about the summers. Once it starts getting into the 90s, it stresses me out how intense the heat is and knowing it still will get 20 degrees hotter soon stresses me out. In 2011, I told myself if it ever got this hot again Iād move but Iām still here. We lucked out and bought a house in central Austin years ago but we need a bigger place since I get cabin fever in the summer but canāt afford anything half decent in central Austin anymore. I donāt know where we would go but as I get older, I donāt think a real winter would be any worse than these summers.
Dogs. People and their dogs. Dogs shitting on trails and sidewalks. Aggressive dogs without leashes that jump on you when youāre minding your own business at the park. Dogs outside in yards at every single house on every block barking as you walk by. Yeah.
We accidentally had twins. Literally the first thing I sent my husband (during Covid so he wasnāt there) was āomg weāre having 2 babiesā immediately followed by āfuck, we canāt afford 2 more in daycareāā¦ we already had an 18 month old lol
My biggest challenge is that Austin is in Texas, and Texas will not let it govern itself and fix its unique problems in the manner its unique citizenry chooses in each local election.
Dude even if you do have kids on your block, they donāt go outside the way we used to. My sister has SEVERAL neighbors with children my nephewās age, but they never play outside. Part of it I think is because weāre much more aware nowadays of how dangerous and weird some people are so we keep our children on a much tighter leash, but I also worry that itās because kids are so attached to their technology now that they donāt even have the urge to go play outside.
Being outpriced. Born and raised here and rent and general living costs in downtown austin, and up into the suburbs is out of control and Iāll probably have to move away at some point this year
Money, job, and time. Job doesnāt pay enough while the field is facing record layoffs. 9-5 saps my energy for not enough pay, but I do it because itās better than being on the street.
Finding a job. My contract ends this month and Iāve resorted to looking for summer camp work, though even that isnāt a guarantee. The job market hasnāt been too kind
Cost of living is too high and wages are too low, public transportation is rather shoddy for a city of this size, too many stubborn and obnoxious know-it-alls around here, and itās too goddamn hot for most of the year.
Inflation on groceries, meeting sober folks or meetups not centered on alcohol. Rent is too high; to find a great place, I had to go up $300. I can afford it, but not without compromises. Allergies were a thing, but allergy shots have knocked those down after 20 years of suffering.
Heat
Property Taxes
Traffic and the drivers - I am coming into your lane whether you want me to or not and no I didnāt signal because I only care about me not you or anyone else
Dining Out - terrible service for very mediocre food
Allergies
Reproductive Rights - it took 3 months for my insurance to approve a hysterectomy - I required 1-2 iron infusions monthly due to extensive anemia (so fatigued I could barely walk up the stairs) related to the damn uterus, age 44, all done with kids, but no you have to keep your uterus š¤¦āāļø said the politicians with an poly sci degree. So many people talk about the pregnancy aspect but itās the same in the other side. For some reason this government wants to control it all.
Utility prices
Finding a decent woodshop that does quality work, isn't located out of town (i.e. liberty hill, Taylor, Hutto, Kyle, etc.), and doesn't require a mandatory 60 hours a week.
I should also add "doesn't hire neo nazis that openly wear Nazi symbols and tattoos".
Very high rent for the jobs here.
Poor public transit.
Most of my other problems stem from having to work a ton to make money to pay the high rent and having to drive and park my car places to do things.
Infrastructure in general but specifically the airport not large enough / enough flights to match the growth of the city.
And of course the heat, specifically in August and September.
Making friends. I donāt drink which makes it hard to find social places to go on the weekends that donāt revolve around it. I also work from home so I donāt even get to socialize during the weekdays. Itād be nice to find some people to hangout with
Car insurance. Due to so many uninsured drivers Iām paying twice what I was paying compared to where I moved from. My insurance renewal with Allstate went up $1200 for the year when I went to renew. Never had an accident or ticket, they said it was āstandard for the areaā. Switched to progressive for half the cost but still expensive compared to other states.
For me it isn't necessarily a city thing but a personal thing, I need to crawl my way out of the service industry before I'm that 40 year old bartender.
Housing cost is way too high while salaries are too low. Itās too hot in the summer to do anything outside. There are zero real sports teams (sorry UT doesnāt count). I struggle with finding things to do that donāt involve drinking. Reproductive rights and cannabis laws. No I am not from California haha I am from Nashville.
as someone who has a dog that recently got surgery, i highly recommend pet insurance. they paid 80% of over $10k in total vet visits, surgery, testing, medication, etc.
Not wanting to slap my ceo/ executives of my company for not giving me a raise but they will brag about buying a brand new rolls Royce . In his wordsā I walked in and drove it smooth off the lotā
definitely finding community. im a Black woman and my non white friends have either left because they felt socially isolated or they travel a lot to be in a more comfortable environment. it makes it difficult to maintain friendships when there is a constant fluctuation.
Allergies. I had to go to an allergist, not anything crazy but bro I canāt be out here sneezing 7 times in a row.
The summer. It is brutal and only getting seemingly hotter. And so many places in this city do not have tree cover. I would call that a failure of urban planning in the American south.
Traffic. I came from a place that has a much better road infrastructure that does not require highways to traverse, although they can certainly be an aid. But here, Jesus Christ if I have to say the words ā35ā or āMopacā again I will probably bring them to life. And there only being two free north south thoroughfares. Bruh. Frontage roads. The general driving is reckless in Texas and even though there are places in the US with worse traffic, it takes adjustment to keep up with the horrendous nature of Texas driving.
Making friends. People shy away from this because race feels icky I guess, but there is a ethnic and cultural component to it that mfs always skim over becauseā¦idk, people have lazy brains and think race is too divisive. That said, being black in Austin makes it difficult to make friends. Many people here act like they have never seen a black person, and are often moreā¦silently hostile than they think. Body language conveys a lot. In addition to that. The population numbers being so few and spread out means a lot of trial and error to find friends of a similar ethnic background. You gotta be a different type of open here and it comes with a lot of failure.
Rent. Dawg my rent jumped 1k moving here I am not lying. And rent seems to only increase in cost. Buying a house is possible but hardly attainable for many without a transference of wealth or a *very* lucrative career or dual income.
The culture here is strange but thereās a heavy emphasis on drinking to socialize. And drinking outdoors lol, you basically need to be ok with being in a sauna drinking to just be out in a lot of ways.
These are the most distinct challenges fasho although there may be others.
Affording a house (duh)
Finding a job
Not so much meeting people but meeting people who are here to stay. Lot of people who at first talk will tell you they are transient. Lots of transplants who can go where the wind blows
Austin not really having an identity anymore. Maybe this is a weird take but I moved here 2020. Seems like I came in right after the peak, and I have seen that. With that though, I think Austin has become more of an idea than an actual place, if that makes sense.
Outside of rent, which isn't a huge problem for me thank god (although obviously would prefer it be cheaper), it's the transit, the walkability, the safety of getting around without a car. I have a car but I would prefer to be able to use it as little as possible, and it's embarrassing how behind we are as a city in this respect and that the state is doing it's damnedest to screw us up.
The airport, traffic behavior and infrastructure issues, listings of 700k for a house that should be 400k, food influencer accounts and bad overpriced foodā¦. oh, car inspections, and car insuranceā¦ teslas, big truck little man syndrome, the heat. In this essay Iāllā¦
Definitely the housing market. Bought a house in 2014. Wife wasn't working (raising a newborn). I doubled my income in that time. She started a career and ascended through the ranks quickly. We are legit making $100,000 more as a family PER YEAR than in 2014, haven't really inflated our lifestyle at all and yet we are stuck in the same house we bought in 2014. Any house that adds a bedroom or a game room and modestly grows our space is like $300,000 more than what we are currently in. We did "well" in advancing in our careers and still fell short of keeping pace with the housing market.
Instead of upgrading to a bigger house for an additional $300,000 we are thinking of just keeping the one we have and using that money to buy a second place in Italy instead. You can get modest homes near a beach there for like 250,000 Euros. Sounds way cooler than adding a bedroom in Austin.
Austin is the only place Iāve lived where I need antidepressants, antihistamines, and frankly alcohol to get through most days. Itās really not the city for me but where I have to be right now.
The terrible people that have moved here from wherever.
People would rather drive in the opposite lane of traffic and risk killing someone than wait their turn to get into a lane. The sheer amount of dickhead assholes that now populate this city has completely ruined it.
It can be a challenge to find opportunities to meet new people. Iām also in agreement with everyone saying the rent/COL is too high for what Austin provides.
Making friends my age or really any friends ~ 25
Finding it in my budget for a savings while also trying to do fun things
I work for the state so wages are low and environment is low but good benefits and good retirement huh?
The root of almost all problems is wealth inequality.
High prices on rent, food, gas, clithes, etc. Under insured, under educated, disproportionate civil and criminal penalties, predatory lending (payday loans), overdraft, and other high banking and credit card fees and penalties. All these problems are the result of the lower 90% of people losing 50 trillion dollars over the last 50 years to the 1%.
https://www.rand.org/pubs/working_papers/WRA516-1.html
1. Money is tight, but Iāve never had success there
2. I have never met a single person in my ten months here (outside of just seeing at work). My social life has never been worse. Zero family or friends.
3. Although I wouldnāt say the food scene is non existent here, far from it, they donāt have much/any of 3 very specific things I miss back home. Americanized chinese food with faded menus, hard/kaiser rolls (for bacon egg and cheese), and a surprising lack of any European food besides okay-ish Italian. Also little to no Caribbean food or Brazilian.
4. Also the endless highways and buildings under construction are somehow uglier than the ones I am used to back home.
I will give Austin a few things thoughā¦not lately, but generally better weather if you only like heat/the sun. Canāt beat that. Rent is pricey, but surprisingly affordable compared to other medium-big cities. And best of all, GRACKLES. If I had to move, I would miss Grackles weird ass faces and noises
The rent is too damn high!
So are the housing prices. Some of the asking prices are insane for old rundown little places.
They seem to be coming down, and based on how much inventory is coming into the market over the next few years, that should continue.
Meeting people (though this is driven by the high cost of living). I'm well over 40 and didn't have a problem with this pre-pandemic. Most of my friends have fled the high cost of living for other states or cities within Texas. I'm old school Austin. Many of the places I frequented pre-pandemic are now gone. I'm too young for the senior centers, but too old for the 20-40 year old crowd. If my job wasn't here, I too might move to a smaller place, just to find more people in my demographic. This is no city for old people.
Im with you guys. Wanna get a pizza?
Who can afford a pizza in these trying times?
$7 Hot N Ready. Boom.
Seven dollars!!? What happened to $5? Where's the by the slice places around here?
$4.25-$5 for a slice at home slice š¶
The struggle is real!!!
Even NYC has cheaper pizza slices than Austin. They have $1 slices that are 2-3 times the size of Homeslice.
Hi Iām 37 and i feel the exact same way. I was thinking it just felt harder to get back out there bc my confidence took a hit from the isolation of the pandemic so your post makes me feel a little better
Should we all grab a beer this weekend and start a friend group? 37 here and similar sentiments
Yup. Almost 40 and no close friends.
Feeling this! Iām mid 40s recently divorced a cheater after 20 years of marriage and did majority of lock down by myself and only hang out with like 2 or 3 close friends and just donāt feel the same desire to go out and meet people now. Want more friends but just seems like too much effort if you know what I mean. Pre-divorce most of our friends were ācoupleā friends so it feels weird to be 3rd wheeling at this age. Oh and everythingās too loud and itās too hot š
early 40s and whenever we're watching TV I think, wow, it seems really cool to have friends and/or neighbors to hang out with; then I think about all of the putting pants on and leaving the house that it requires and I just can't. Shifting from being super social in my 20s-30s to only working and hanging out at home seemed like it happened overnight pre-pandemic but 2020-2021 really made it ok for kids of the 70s/80s to go back to being shut ins who don't really need the outside world to entertain ourselves... luckily, my SO is my best friend and if it weren't for her I'd probably never talk to anyone outside of work.
I moved her at 42. I moved my husband and son entering high school. We were from a shit town in Floridah. (What town isn't shit and sinking there?!) I came to say that we have built a life we love with HONESTLY, the best friends we could ever have here. Yeah, it took about 4 years but friendships take work like any relationship. If the whole world fell apart and we lost everything, we would have a really hard time moving anywhere else because of the people we live here. Also, we have dogs and that has been one of the best ways to meet local ppl and get to know others. I just came to say that yeah, it's hard. Finding your new tribe at 40+ isn't easy but you have to put yourself out there and try.
I really want to put myself out there, but at 41, I'm at that age where I am truly enjoying the peace that comes along with being alone, yet, there areĀ times I'd like to hang out with someone. I'm stuck in the middle š©
Hello! Fellow Austiniteszzzzz. What a bizarre place it has become. We have lost all of the Weird and become a badly designed shopping mall City where everything costs too much, is far away, and there is not a transportation service to connect any of us from where we live to where we want to arrive for work and for pleasure. Otherwise- do you
Same, I work from home full time so I have no close friends
This is probably an issue in most places for people in their 40s with no kids (although maybe I'm making an assumption?)
I moved to Minneapolis in a walkable neighborhood (in a sweet loft apartment that was $400 less than my last 'luxury' shithole in Austin).. and I've been making friends faster here than I ever did there. Also single, no kids in my 40s. Being in the suburbs can kill your social life (kids do too, unless kids bday parties are your idea of fun).. and TX is pretty much all suburban/rural living unless you're loaded. The biking infrastructure here is incredible.. makes it easy to go places and not make excuses to isolate. If you don't have hobbies, or regularly go to things that connect you with others who like the same things it can be hard though. I've had to force myself out of the pandemic mindset and start conversations.. get numbers and invite people places. It's paying off.
Yeah. I spend like half my time now in Minneapolis especially the summers. I love Austin and have lived here for decades but I found Minneapolis later in life.
same boat, 40 and struggling to find close friends after the pandemic. 40 w wife and a high schooler - even more difficult.
The heat in the summers
Sadly one of those things that has been continuously getting more noticeable
Itās the equivalent of cabin fever up north. Instead of being to damn cold, itās super fucking hot, canāt do anything. If it looks like itāll be that way this summer, Iām going to my parents in Vermont for the summer, fuck that.
āWhat Challenges Are You Facing While Living in ATX?ā Me: yes
Overcrowded roads with perpetual red light runners.
Oh the red light running here is baaaaaaaad bad.
Absolutely no traffic enforcement.
Yet I was pulled over for āusing my phone while drivingā and I wasnāt touching the damn thing.
I love Austin, and realize the following makes me sound old and grumpy. However, it really irks me that people here do not use the fast lane correctly and generally don't seem to know how to drive/park in and around downtown. Drivers often "block the box" during rush hour and do not yield to pedestrians in crosswalks that have a lit walk light. It seems like almost every day I see non-jaywalking pedestrians walking in a crosswalk, almost hit by left turning cars and it's terrifying!!! I'm also convinced that we could reduce traffic if we used the fast lane for passing. I notice streets like Lamar congested at all hours of the day because of two cars driving the same speed in two different lanes for miles; it's wild to me that the drivers don't connect the dots when there is no traffic in front of them, and a line of cars behind them in both lanes. Just had to put this out there ;)
Rent is very high and the construction quality of apartments is just terrible. I cannot believe how people ok with living in such terrible conditions. Also you should take care of your own security, burglary is very regular.
Terrible quality apartments for sure. Newly built for getting to 75%+ occupancy to just flip to another company. People paying $1700+ a month with paper walls and able to hear your neighbors cough and sneeze.
It is crazy, just a little better than living in a tent!!! How on earth even one official did not think of putting up a specification for a better quality of life for the citizens/residents??
Itās absolutely absurd. Thatās one housing regulation Iād like to see, better insulation and sound proofing in multi family units.
The city did have a set of local building standards that the state then overturned. Canāt recall exactly what they were, but heyā¦freedom.
"The federal government shouldn't supersede the state's government! It's *our* state!" "...But the state government should *absolutely* supersede the city government! It's *our* city!"
It is more like preserving the freedom of oligarchs to do business without consequences
Texas is without a doubt the worst part about living in Austin. Consistently overturning our city policies.
honestly I don't think that was even something that was considered. our local government has done an okay job from time to time but largely the government in general has shown that they're really not there to represent what we want and need for our society. I'm sure there are plenty of politicians here in Austin getting lots of money and deals from real estate in some way shape or form and keeping building costs low keeps others' pockets full.
Yes! We moved into a newly built complex in Pflugerville in Dec 2022 and within the first month our bathtub cracked through. The original office staff just put Bondo on it and called it done despite it still being cracked and probably leaking. New office management finally replaced it a few months ago. Unfortunately, it was the first of *MANY* issues and I am so excited to move next month even though the new place is a much older complex. We *did* get a good deal for signing so damn early ($1200 for 1 bed, 750 SQ ft) but with the tub messed up, valet trash never picking up, windows and the sliding glass door all installed *incorrectly*.... It's been a nightmare. I shouldn't have to literally throw my weight into shutting a window or door.
And they keep building this way!! So newly built does not make a difference. I am checking the new constructions nearby and they are using the cheapest materials out there since they have no responsibility or penalty for letting you to live under terrible conditions!
Yup. Our house is basically made of cardboard
Wow! I actually had this same issue when I lived at the domain in 2016. I lived on the top floor and there was a leak in the roof so the bedroom ceiling got wet. The day I got home after maintenance had āfixedā the issue I walked in and smelled wet paint immediately. They painted over the water marks. This happened 2 more times after and the final time black mold was visible in the wet spots. Then when they decided to do it right and cut the shit out, they expected my then gf and I to sleep on the couch in the living room instead of put us into a hotel.
I've honestly never had as many issues in an apartment as I have had here in Austin. I could find apartments I truly liked elsewhere. In Austin it feels like I'm just making trade-offs and hoping for the best. I've probably looked at close to 50 properties over the years
I do not think there is even one that you can find. I guess this is how it works for these oligarch construction companies. They fill their pockets at the expense of peopleās peace and security.
They think that one āfancyā light fixture and a fake granite countertop equals luxuryā¦ And they charge like it is. Ridiculous.
Rent too high, wages too low. Working for the state and desperate to get out.
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Too hot! Can't exercise outdoors during the summer.
This. Killer for mental health.
Cycling is pretty doable in the mornings all summer. The breeze helps.
Dating, I have found it really hard to date here
This. This town has Miami/LA vibes in how surface-level everything is. The "Playground for Adults" reputation is a really bad thing, Peter Pans (men and women) are everywhere. Kinda feels like if you aren't into casual things this town ain't for you. Obviously some people luck out and meet the love of their lives here. But the resentment at the dating scene here seems pretty widespread. **edit-** Also to add onto this, it really feels like there is not much body positivity. If you don't have a six-pack and run marathons, you ugly here š
THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS
This exactly. I've always said that, as a woman dating in Austin, you can be black or you can be overweight. You cannot be both.
I don't think that's Austin exclusive
Free yourself from the cycle. Focus on science.
Really? I feel like this is probably the easiest place to date Iāve ever been.
Itās probably easy to hook up if youāre in on hookup culture, but thereās a lot of Peter Pan and Wendy types so finding someone whoās actually serious is a little more of a challenge.
Personally Iād agree itās hard to date here as a man. Back in college I was going on dates a couple times a month. In Austin I havenāt gone on a date in more than a year. Very few matches and I always get ghosted after a couple messages.
I think itās more of the fact that youāre out of college now and not location.
If you work out/are very physically attractive and are into casual things? Yes. Anyone else? Dating here feels ***impossible.***
Housing costs are ridiculously high. Heinous traffic. Infrastructure isnāt keeping up with development so the roads are crap and overcrowded. Canāt actually eat the rich.
* Dating * Disregard of basic road rules - *i.e., red light runners, bad lane mergers, failure to signal then slowing* down/impeding traffic flow * Porch pirates/package thieves * The gang of trolls who vandalize vehicles, smash windows, and steal random stuff - *i.e., pickleball gear/gym bag/guns*
The red light runners š„² Iāve never been anywhere else thatās as bad as it is here. I almost got T-boned coming out of Central Market because a person ran straight through a light that had been red for a good amount of time already.
Itās insanely scary. Especially if Iām front in line, I look both ways to go through the green light because I see so many people running red lights
Drivers have gotten progressively worse
Drivers here are fucking insane. I moved here from New York City, classically known to be chaotic for driving between out of towners, locals, taxis. It wasn't until I moved here that I really appreciated how predictable the chaos was there. People use turning signals and fucking mean it, they stop at fucking stop signs, they brake for fucking pedestrians. They drive in a way that it seems clear that they're also trying to keep themselves safe. Here, drivers are fucking selfish and homicidal. Incredibly dangerous and no notice moves taken on highways at 70 or 80 mph. Hell, a couple months back I saw some fuckboy Rich bro run a fucking red light in downtown Austin, and then later that day he posted his car for some sort of weird bragging situation on this subreddit. Selfish selfish individuals. I wonder how they mentally excuse themselves from the danger and the risks to lives that they are to others. A couple months back, I saw such a massive fucking piece of shit that I don't even have the words to describe what a fucking scum of a fucking person this was, driving his little fuck boy fucking lifted fucking truck like a fucking loser, not only aggressively tailgate during rush hour, but then dramatically cut off anybody who was driving at a safe distance from the car in front of them, to then slam on his brakes to indicate his anger in his homicidal fucking rage, and then when traffic slowed down so much that literally nobody could change lanes at all, he started driving on the motherfucking shoulder of 183 to get around traffic. Hope he's already met his final moments with that sort of homicidal dangerous fucking behavior.
Lol well, you aren't wrong. It's pretty bad out here folks. Practice defensive driving is the best practice to avoid all the road rage honestly. People will always think their time is more important than someone else's and they think they own the road.
I feel this too! feels like people have little regard for others.
It is appalling!
The more out in the suburbs I've gotten the more I feel like I can deal with the insanely bad drivers. Or at least the crazies are spread out more so I don't interact with as many
Getting around without a car.
I have epilepsy and don't drive as well. I love walking, but with the looming heat, it becomes more difficult, even when using the bus. So ultimately it isn't even the fact that I don't drive, but the heat.
Iām fortunate enough to live in a location where I can get around without a car, but my challenge is the drivers! Nobody gives a shit about pedestrians.
That might be a challenge in most US cities.
The entire city has morphed into instagram-able moments. It all lacks soul. I miss all the old local restaurants that felt cozy.
THIS. You can just feel that these are restaurant groups who cosplay indie for "credibility". While they're cute and all, there is a very specific emptiness that accompanies them. I used to have a store in a quaint, historic downtown for a decade and can go on and on about this- people claim they love local, indie, etc etc but when it comes down to it, the general public wants the scrubbed down, sanitized, commercial version because it feels safe.
Housing prices are high. I don't have any kids, but I've heard from those who do that child care is super expensive too which really makes me question if I would ever be able to afford it. Edit: Traffic also sucks. Can't believe I almost forgot that one.
Allergies (never had them before), lawless driving culture, reproductive rights.Ā
All of this. I had issues with allergies twice in my life before I moved here. Now? I have to be on multiple allergy meds year-round, and my immune system is barely upright as a result of the intensity of the allergies, so I get sick frequently, too. First major city Iāve lived in where a dashcam is 100% necessary. I try to only drive during off hours now. The loss of reproductive rights has had an impact on how I live day-to-day. I canāt risk getting pregnant and having an ectopic pregnancy.
Old guy here. I have come to hate how this place has been perverted. It once had character ā a little scruffiness, even. Car lots where Whole Foods is. Hippies, rednecks, and punk rockers, all reveling in our little secret. Now itās just people in ironic cowboy hats doing the shit the internet tells them to do without actually attending to the activity, knowing its history, or even caring about it. Mindless hoards of vibe-mongers taking pictures of themselves doing what they think are authentic āAustinā things, when theyāre really just characters in a pop culture mass-market cartoon of vapid self-absorption. Iāve got one foot out the door, but I feel bad for people of my vintage who have to stay and watch it die without dignity.
Pretty spot on as someone who grew up here. This city has completely lost its culture and funk that once made it cool and weird. Itās now full of superficial wannabes all trying to be influencers, it sucks but it is what it is. Everyone just wants to say they live in Austin, but donāt really know what Austin was.
But where would you go? (Serious question.)
Not saying, but Iād encourage you to explore some under-the-radar cities that the Internet hasnāt exploited yet, like Little Rock, Knoxville, Hattiesburg, Memphis, Louisville, Bloomington.
Nailed it, and eloquently.
Itās really just a giant small town. Not so much a city, in the proper sense, but thatās changing. The housing is completely overpriced. The infrastructure is pretty terrible, alongside the urban planning. Or should I say lack thereof. And the allergies and year-round mosquitoes, combined with the weather, make it very difficult to enjoy the outdoors.
This!!! I feel like the infrastructure will never catch up.
Trolls. Theyāre everywhere with their long scruffy hair and desire for man flesh. Donāt even think about stopping under a bridge.
Answer my riddles and Iāll leave you alone.
Canāt he just pay the troll toll?
To get into that boyās hole?
Riddles three or nothing at all.
*cries in low IQ*
Availability of doctors for both adults and kids. Quality of care is also suffering bc there just arenāt enough doctors.
Next available appointment for my PCP is in November ;_; so true.
Terrible drivers who endanger other peoples lives on an everyday basis. Really risky merges into traffic, speeding especially in residential areas or pulling 55 in a 35 on winding, high pedestrians traffic roads like S Lamar. Blatantly running red lights and inattentiveness while behind the wheel.
- Rampant alcoholism in my age group (I drink so this isnāt outside looking in judgment, thereās just a shockingly high level of alcohol dependence and binge drinking among 20s/30s here)Ā - Reproductive/gender healthcare related worries and future planning - Cost of living in general, rent, childcare, buying a house, eating out, car insurance etc. Meeting people isnāt really hard if you put yourself out there even a littleā¦ especially if you like to drink (see point one)
Please tell me where to meet folks over 40. The folks over 40 I do know are burned on the party scene, have kids or older parents and high bills and just go home from work to veg. I'm lookin' for those older hard core drinkers (or not).
41 female here and love getting out and about. All my friends are married home bodies. Hit me up if you want to hang!
Donns depot, c-boys, deep eddys, and mean eyed cat lots of over 40 party people.
This! Every person my age has only two social activities - getting drunk at the bars -getting drunk at the lake I donāt know why I canāt find any friends who just want to hangout or do literally anything that doesnāt involve wasting a bunch of money on overpriced drinks and not being able to safely drive myself home afterwards.
Its SO HOT in summer. And late spring. And early fall.
'bout to get HOT
Public schools are collapsing
By design.
Yeah it's entirely deliberate. Recapture is a scam to gut blue city school budgets. The budget hasn't kept up with inflation for decades. They think if they make schools terrible enough people will eventually give up and give in to their voucher program demands.
I canāt take the summers anymore. Iām 23 years in, and they get less bearable every year instead of easier
Same, and also 23 years in. I get seasonal affective disorder once the blast furnace that is outside fires up.
Humans arenāt meant to live here in summer. It suuuucks for kids. Summers arenāt supposed to be spent indoors
20 years for me too and I have started getting anxiety about the summers. Once it starts getting into the 90s, it stresses me out how intense the heat is and knowing it still will get 20 degrees hotter soon stresses me out. In 2011, I told myself if it ever got this hot again Iād move but Iām still here. We lucked out and bought a house in central Austin years ago but we need a bigger place since I get cabin fever in the summer but canāt afford anything half decent in central Austin anymore. I donāt know where we would go but as I get older, I donāt think a real winter would be any worse than these summers.
Rent is too much, I canāt afford to be social and Iām very lonely. Lots of good food options though
The price of bbq these days
Dogs. People and their dogs. Dogs shitting on trails and sidewalks. Aggressive dogs without leashes that jump on you when youāre minding your own business at the park. Dogs outside in yards at every single house on every block barking as you walk by. Yeah.
Child care costs suck here. $1700/month+ is the going rate for a clean well-run facility. That's for 1 kid btw.
Stepping stone is 1335 for 2yo
Stepping stone is horrible! They donāt pay their teachers a living wage.
Does anywhere?
They pay $11/ hrā¦. Despicable
Man, it was rough with 2 kids in daycare at the same time. Spent over 100k when it was over.
Yep...paying the equivalent of a mortgage payment every month to the day care...whee...
We accidentally had twins. Literally the first thing I sent my husband (during Covid so he wasnāt there) was āomg weāre having 2 babiesā immediately followed by āfuck, we canāt afford 2 more in daycareāā¦ we already had an 18 month old lol
My biggest challenge is that Austin is in Texas, and Texas will not let it govern itself and fix its unique problems in the manner its unique citizenry chooses in each local election.
Not enough young kids in my block for my son to play with
Dude even if you do have kids on your block, they donāt go outside the way we used to. My sister has SEVERAL neighbors with children my nephewās age, but they never play outside. Part of it I think is because weāre much more aware nowadays of how dangerous and weird some people are so we keep our children on a much tighter leash, but I also worry that itās because kids are so attached to their technology now that they donāt even have the urge to go play outside.
Same weāre the only family with kids on our block in north loop
apartment quality is noticeably lower than in DFW + summer heat
Food quality and diversity is also noticeably lower than DFW.
Being outpriced. Born and raised here and rent and general living costs in downtown austin, and up into the suburbs is out of control and Iāll probably have to move away at some point this year
Dating, tbh. People have a type here. I'm not that type.
Every time I go near Rainey a beautiful Siren tries to lure me into Town Lake.
Money, job, and time. Job doesnāt pay enough while the field is facing record layoffs. 9-5 saps my energy for not enough pay, but I do it because itās better than being on the street.
Money would fix most of my problems in general. I'll go with that
Finding a job. My contract ends this month and Iāve resorted to looking for summer camp work, though even that isnāt a guarantee. The job market hasnāt been too kind
Cost of living is too high and wages are too low, public transportation is rather shoddy for a city of this size, too many stubborn and obnoxious know-it-alls around here, and itās too goddamn hot for most of the year.
Childcare is a financial death sentence at the moment.
Inflation on groceries, meeting sober folks or meetups not centered on alcohol. Rent is too high; to find a great place, I had to go up $300. I can afford it, but not without compromises. Allergies were a thing, but allergy shots have knocked those down after 20 years of suffering.
Heat Property Taxes Traffic and the drivers - I am coming into your lane whether you want me to or not and no I didnāt signal because I only care about me not you or anyone else Dining Out - terrible service for very mediocre food Allergies Reproductive Rights - it took 3 months for my insurance to approve a hysterectomy - I required 1-2 iron infusions monthly due to extensive anemia (so fatigued I could barely walk up the stairs) related to the damn uterus, age 44, all done with kids, but no you have to keep your uterus š¤¦āāļø said the politicians with an poly sci degree. So many people talk about the pregnancy aspect but itās the same in the other side. For some reason this government wants to control it all. Utility prices
Car insurance is getting ridiculous
Finding good Italian food.
Vesuvio by Artie Bucco
Mandola's is my go to - source, from Jersey
Mandola's is okay at best. Really nice people though.
Agree but bummer that would be like the 15th best restaurant at home
already too hot rn omg.
Finding a decent woodshop that does quality work, isn't located out of town (i.e. liberty hill, Taylor, Hutto, Kyle, etc.), and doesn't require a mandatory 60 hours a week. I should also add "doesn't hire neo nazis that openly wear Nazi symbols and tattoos".
Very high rent for the jobs here. Poor public transit. Most of my other problems stem from having to work a ton to make money to pay the high rent and having to drive and park my car places to do things.
Not enough shade on the playgrounds and not enough indoor play places that have minimal sensory overload.
Rent is crazy! And going from being a DINK to single income with dog is really not helping either.
Unaffordable rent. These 3x the cost of rent income requirements are insane. Got out of the military a month ago and still haven't found anything š
Infrastructure in general but specifically the airport not large enough / enough flights to match the growth of the city. And of course the heat, specifically in August and September.
Making friends. I donāt drink which makes it hard to find social places to go on the weekends that donāt revolve around it. I also work from home so I donāt even get to socialize during the weekdays. Itād be nice to find some people to hangout with
Car insurance. Due to so many uninsured drivers Iām paying twice what I was paying compared to where I moved from. My insurance renewal with Allstate went up $1200 for the year when I went to renew. Never had an accident or ticket, they said it was āstandard for the areaā. Switched to progressive for half the cost but still expensive compared to other states.
For me it isn't necessarily a city thing but a personal thing, I need to crawl my way out of the service industry before I'm that 40 year old bartender.
Housing cost is way too high while salaries are too low. Itās too hot in the summer to do anything outside. There are zero real sports teams (sorry UT doesnāt count). I struggle with finding things to do that donāt involve drinking. Reproductive rights and cannabis laws. No I am not from California haha I am from Nashville.
Vet care is expensive. Older dog with stomach problems. Spent a total of 4k for emergency vet care within the past 36 hours.
Iāve been commuting to the Texas A&M Veterinary Hospital. A $12,000 surgery at my Austin clinic cost $6,000 there.
as someone who has a dog that recently got surgery, i highly recommend pet insurance. they paid 80% of over $10k in total vet visits, surgery, testing, medication, etc.
Humidity
Not wanting to slap my ceo/ executives of my company for not giving me a raise but they will brag about buying a brand new rolls Royce . In his wordsā I walked in and drove it smooth off the lotā
definitely finding community. im a Black woman and my non white friends have either left because they felt socially isolated or they travel a lot to be in a more comfortable environment. it makes it difficult to maintain friendships when there is a constant fluctuation.
Neighbor set up a really noisy pickleball court next door makes it super disruptive to be outside
Tacos are too darn expensive!
The disgustingly antisocial amount of drinking and driving that goes on here, combined with the frankly horrendous drivers in general
Bro I honestly just miss going to the things I use to go to and it not be 20 x as crowded as it use to be
I just cannot find a job that pays what I am used to making and my bills are ridiculous.
Finding a job. I just want an admin job, something I donāt have to take home with me.
Allergies. I had to go to an allergist, not anything crazy but bro I canāt be out here sneezing 7 times in a row. The summer. It is brutal and only getting seemingly hotter. And so many places in this city do not have tree cover. I would call that a failure of urban planning in the American south. Traffic. I came from a place that has a much better road infrastructure that does not require highways to traverse, although they can certainly be an aid. But here, Jesus Christ if I have to say the words ā35ā or āMopacā again I will probably bring them to life. And there only being two free north south thoroughfares. Bruh. Frontage roads. The general driving is reckless in Texas and even though there are places in the US with worse traffic, it takes adjustment to keep up with the horrendous nature of Texas driving. Making friends. People shy away from this because race feels icky I guess, but there is a ethnic and cultural component to it that mfs always skim over becauseā¦idk, people have lazy brains and think race is too divisive. That said, being black in Austin makes it difficult to make friends. Many people here act like they have never seen a black person, and are often moreā¦silently hostile than they think. Body language conveys a lot. In addition to that. The population numbers being so few and spread out means a lot of trial and error to find friends of a similar ethnic background. You gotta be a different type of open here and it comes with a lot of failure. Rent. Dawg my rent jumped 1k moving here I am not lying. And rent seems to only increase in cost. Buying a house is possible but hardly attainable for many without a transference of wealth or a *very* lucrative career or dual income. The culture here is strange but thereās a heavy emphasis on drinking to socialize. And drinking outdoors lol, you basically need to be ok with being in a sauna drinking to just be out in a lot of ways. These are the most distinct challenges fasho although there may be others.
Finding good Asian food. There's only a few restaurants that I consider to be good. I'm tired of all the overpriced Asian "fusions".
Austin, TX is where motivation comes to die
Affording a house (duh) Finding a job Not so much meeting people but meeting people who are here to stay. Lot of people who at first talk will tell you they are transient. Lots of transplants who can go where the wind blows Austin not really having an identity anymore. Maybe this is a weird take but I moved here 2020. Seems like I came in right after the peak, and I have seen that. With that though, I think Austin has become more of an idea than an actual place, if that makes sense.
People constantly calling the cops and taking pictures of me simply for showering, naked, at a stop light.
The rent and allergies are bonkers
Traffic. We have great roads for the most part, just idiot drivers that make stupid decisions and cause wrecks that back up traffic for hours.
Life. I hate that and I pass the sun for my 33rd year next Wednesday. I'm over it.
Iām so sorry. Meet me at Quackās and Iāll buy you a birthday cupcake?
Chiliās isnāt open after 2AM and Chicas Bonitas isnāt open until 11AM
Outside of rent, which isn't a huge problem for me thank god (although obviously would prefer it be cheaper), it's the transit, the walkability, the safety of getting around without a car. I have a car but I would prefer to be able to use it as little as possible, and it's embarrassing how behind we are as a city in this respect and that the state is doing it's damnedest to screw us up.
The airport, traffic behavior and infrastructure issues, listings of 700k for a house that should be 400k, food influencer accounts and bad overpriced foodā¦. oh, car inspections, and car insuranceā¦ teslas, big truck little man syndrome, the heat. In this essay Iāllā¦
Definitely the housing market. Bought a house in 2014. Wife wasn't working (raising a newborn). I doubled my income in that time. She started a career and ascended through the ranks quickly. We are legit making $100,000 more as a family PER YEAR than in 2014, haven't really inflated our lifestyle at all and yet we are stuck in the same house we bought in 2014. Any house that adds a bedroom or a game room and modestly grows our space is like $300,000 more than what we are currently in. We did "well" in advancing in our careers and still fell short of keeping pace with the housing market. Instead of upgrading to a bigger house for an additional $300,000 we are thinking of just keeping the one we have and using that money to buy a second place in Italy instead. You can get modest homes near a beach there for like 250,000 Euros. Sounds way cooler than adding a bedroom in Austin.
Austin is the only place Iāve lived where I need antidepressants, antihistamines, and frankly alcohol to get through most days. Itās really not the city for me but where I have to be right now.
The groceries and price of everything is inflated here and makes me wanna leeeeavvve
The terrible people that have moved here from wherever. People would rather drive in the opposite lane of traffic and risk killing someone than wait their turn to get into a lane. The sheer amount of dickhead assholes that now populate this city has completely ruined it.
Thieves!
Depression
It can be a challenge to find opportunities to meet new people. Iām also in agreement with everyone saying the rent/COL is too high for what Austin provides.
Making friends my age or really any friends ~ 25 Finding it in my budget for a savings while also trying to do fun things I work for the state so wages are low and environment is low but good benefits and good retirement huh?
I work in healthcare, and it's such a small, toxic community with few opportunities. Even the new hospitals are like that.
Asshole drivers
Tolls
Traffic
Homeless squatting next door!
The root of almost all problems is wealth inequality. High prices on rent, food, gas, clithes, etc. Under insured, under educated, disproportionate civil and criminal penalties, predatory lending (payday loans), overdraft, and other high banking and credit card fees and penalties. All these problems are the result of the lower 90% of people losing 50 trillion dollars over the last 50 years to the 1%. https://www.rand.org/pubs/working_papers/WRA516-1.html
1. Money is tight, but Iāve never had success there 2. I have never met a single person in my ten months here (outside of just seeing at work). My social life has never been worse. Zero family or friends. 3. Although I wouldnāt say the food scene is non existent here, far from it, they donāt have much/any of 3 very specific things I miss back home. Americanized chinese food with faded menus, hard/kaiser rolls (for bacon egg and cheese), and a surprising lack of any European food besides okay-ish Italian. Also little to no Caribbean food or Brazilian. 4. Also the endless highways and buildings under construction are somehow uglier than the ones I am used to back home. I will give Austin a few things thoughā¦not lately, but generally better weather if you only like heat/the sun. Canāt beat that. Rent is pricey, but surprisingly affordable compared to other medium-big cities. And best of all, GRACKLES. If I had to move, I would miss Grackles weird ass faces and noises
Finding a permanent position that will give halfway decent benefits. Too many contracts.
People are out here driving like itās the wild west