Moving from San Francisco to Austin is equivalent to a 46% raise

Real Estate Broker · Austin, TX · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

Very interesting...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckdevore/2019/06/27/workers-moving-from-san-francisco-to-austin-would-get-an-immediate-46-raise-due-to-less-regulation/#7ef0fb0f2d81

3 Reply

32 views

Most Popular Reply

Robert Eyers

Property Manager · Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 60 posts · 53 votes

When I moved here from Sonoma (5 years ago) I was making to a penny the exact amount I made in CA. We were renting in CA, and both my wife and I were working 50-60 hour weeks. We were able to buy a home, have a child, and allow her to semi-retire while building her own business. Most people would tell me at the time how expensive Austin is, but I had to laugh a bit.

5 Reply

See this reply in the discussion

21 Replies

Jump to latestLatest

Sort by

Bryan Noth
Realtor · Austin, TX · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
Interesting read, favorite article quote:
1 Reply
Rainey Bishop
Member since 2020 · 1 post · 0 votes
6y
Very interesting article! Thanks for sharing.
0 Reply
Nina Hayden
Rental Property Investor · Dallas, Austin · Member since 2018 · 246 posts · 213 votes
6y
Great article from a year ago! I visit San Francisco a lot (obviously not this year) and it really is no surprise. Anyone can see immediately the vast difference in spending daily (tolls, gas, rental cost, housing, etc).
2 Reply
Robert Eyers
Property Manager · Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 60 posts · 53 votes
6y
When I moved here from Sonoma (5 years ago) I was making to a penny the exact amount I made in CA. We were renting in CA, and both my wife and I were working 50-60 hour weeks. We were able to buy a home, have a child, and allow her to semi-retire while building her own business. Most people would tell me at the time how expensive Austin is, but I had to laugh a bit.
5 Reply
Justin Thorpe
Member since 2020 · 437 posts · 675 votes
6y
@Robert Eyers
I have lived and invested in the Bay Area for north of 20 years so I cannot relate to financial benefits of moving to Austin but I recall as a youngster just starting out l did evaluate a move Dallas because it was a lot cheaper to live there. I am overwhelmingly confident that had I moved, my professional career would have not progressed as fast or as well as it had here in the bay and I’d have likely encountered fewer wealth creation opportunities. Glad I did not move. But that’s just me. I am curious what young people won’t move to Austin in large number given those stats published in the OPs article? My observation is there are people who move from SF to Austin but more people move in the other direction.
2 Reply
Jordan MoorheadBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Austin, TX · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
@Justin Thorpe I'm curious why you think your career wouldn't have progressed as quickly?
[email protected]512-888-9122
The Moorhead Team5140 Reviews
Website View Page
1 Reply
Justin Thorpe
Member since 2020 · 437 posts · 675 votes
6y
@Jordan Moorhead
My line of work is more aligned to the tech industry which as you can imagine is many times the magnitude of other cities in the country.
Also the tech eco system of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists is huge here and generally the rapid emergence of many companies big and small happened at a blistering pace in the Bay Area.
Just to highlight the compensation models in tech are more skewed towards equity. So the odds of wealth creation are much higher not to mention the very vibrant and rapidly appreciating market we have here that also affords WC opportunities.
2 Reply
Jordan MoorheadBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Austin, TX · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
@Justin Thorpe are there many more startups in San Fran than Austin?
[email protected]512-888-9122
The Moorhead Team5140 Reviews
Website View Page
0 Reply
Justin Thorpe
Member since 2020 · 437 posts · 675 votes
6y
@Jordan Moorhead
Yes. I’d say by an order of magnitude.
0 Reply
AJ NA
Member since 2020 · 11 posts · 22 votes
6y
@Jordan Moorhead I used to party on 6th Street back during my college days in 2005. There was zero tech presence back then. Things are much different now which is great for the city. But comparing the career trajectory / opportunity over the last 20 years, by far the Bay Area wins.
1 Reply
Amit M.
Rental Property Investor · San Francisco, CA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
I dunno...I’d spend the extra $83,000 a year just to avoid Austin summers, plus gain the myriad walkable amenities S.F. has to offer.
1 Reply
Robert Eyers
Property Manager · Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 60 posts · 53 votes
6y
@Justin Thorpe: Interesting that you think more people are going from here to SF than from SF to here. I would have guessed the other way around. I'm thinking of the incident where California banned state travel to Texas and someone (Abbott I think) responded with "thats fine, we'll just keep accepting all the businesses that are running away from your oppressive tax policy".
1 Reply
Tim H.
Real Estate Broker · Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 32 posts · 18 votes
6y
It was more like 100% back in 2012 when I did it. Rent went from $3500 to $1700 and the house got twice as big.
0 Reply
Justin Thorpe
Member since 2020 · 437 posts · 675 votes
6y
@Robert Eyers
The young, restless and the ambitious will always swing west, That said the low(er) cost of living in Austin is an attraction for many people but they realize it will come with strings like a lower salary and possibly slower career growth. Ultimately there is no free lunch and especially not in the tech business.
1 Reply
Jim G.
Investor · Bay Area, CA · Member since 2017 · 85 posts · 35 votes
6y
Interesting topic. I actually moved from Austin to Bay Area 20 years ago for a startup. I have no regret and have no plan to move back.
1 Reply
Steven Westlake
Developer · Bellefontaine Ohio · Member since 2016 · 371 posts · 219 votes
6y
Moved from mid west Ohio to Houston back in 2006, taxes savings was real nice. But drive to Austin a few times a year just to eat / drink at the Oasis.
2 Reply
Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Amit M.:
I dunno...I’d spend the extra $83,000 a year just to avoid Austin summers, plus gain the myriad walkable amenities S.F. has to offer.
right off the top you will spend zero on Air conditioning in SF and will spend much more in Austin :)
its apples and oranges. the areas just are not comparable in life style.

Podcast Guest on Show #222
JLH Capital Partners51 Review
Website View Page
1 Reply
Andrew Neal
Real Estate Professional · Brentwood CA / Dallas, TX · Member since 2016 · 185 posts · 146 votes
6y
@Jay Hinrichs as someone who made the move from the Bay Area to Dallas last year for a tech company no less I can agree that we NEVER turn our AC off here for at least 4-5 months.
I actually was paid more to move to Texas and advanced my career in doing so, this the move made sense. Now in a funny turn of events our company is relocating to Portland.
I was just in Lake Oswego 2 weeks ago and had lunch down at a brewery on the lake, beautiful place!
0 Reply
Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Andrew Neal:
@Jay Hinrichs as someone who made the move from the Bay Area to Dallas last year for a tech company no less I can agree that we NEVER turn our AC off here for at least 4-5 months.
I actually was paid more to move to Texas and advanced my career in doing so, this the move made sense. Now in a funny turn of events our company is relocating to Portland
I was just in Lake Oswego 2 weeks ago and had lunch down at a brewery on the lake, beautiful place!
when i connect out of DFW to PDX i can often hear Texans commenting when we come in on final approach through the Columbia Gorge and Mt. Hood is on the left and Mt Adams on the right and things lush green.. that if they could find a Job in Portland they would move from Dallas in a heartbeat.. its no kidding a common theme on a clear day Northwest is pretty spectacular.. And its booming in its own way to.. But heck Dallas population is larger than the entire state of Oregon ..

Podcast Guest on Show #222
JLH Capital Partners51 Review
Website View Page
1 Reply
Andrew Neal
Real Estate Professional · Brentwood CA / Dallas, TX · Member since 2016 · 185 posts · 146 votes
6y
@Jay Hinrichs I believe it. I joke that I found the "hilliest" most "California" part of North Dallas and then moved there haha.
0 Reply
Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Andrew Neal:
@Jay Hinrichs I believe it. I joke that I found the "hilliest" most "California" part of North Dallas and then moved there haha.
Well I hope you have a successful move.. keep traffic in mind if your going to be commuting.

Podcast Guest on Show #222
JLH Capital Partners51 Review
Website View Page
0 Reply

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.