The Austin Commercial Real Estate Market

• Austin continues to stand as one of the country’s most active growth markets, supported by steady population gains, corporate expansion, and continued business investment across Central Texas.
• Industrial and retail activity stayed relatively healthy during the first quarter of 2026, particularly in fast-growing suburban areas where population growth continues driving demand for space and development.
• The office market showed signs of improving leasing momentum, though elevated vacancy and large blocks of available space are still shaping tenant and landlord decisions across the metro.
• Multifamily conditions have started to stabilize as construction activity slows from prior peaks, helping the market gradually work through several years of rapid supply growth.
• Austin’s mix of technology, manufacturing, higher education, and corporate investment continues to support long-term economic growth, even as parts of the commercial real estate market move into a more balanced phase.

Austin has spent the last several years growing into one of the country’s most closely watched commercial real estate markets. A strong technology presence, steady population growth, and an influx of businesses from across the country have helped reshape the metro into a major center for innovation, investment, and development activity.

Even with that growth, Austin has managed to hold onto much of the personality that made the city stand out in the first place. From downtown office towers and expanding industrial corridors to local retail districts and mixed-use neighborhoods, the market continues to attract companies, developers, and investors looking for both long-term opportunity and a market with real momentum behind it.

Across Round Rock, Buda, Georgetown, Lakeway, and the broader Central Texas region, brokers and investors use Crexi to discover listings, research properties, market opportunities, manage leads, and move deals forward more efficiently. Today, the Crexi platform has helped facilitate more than $902 billion in closed deals, featuring more than $2.74 trillion in total property value.

Austin has developed a reputation as a city that tends to grow into trends before much of the country catches up. What was once viewed primarily as a government and university town has evolved into one of the country’s largest centers for technology, entrepreneurship, and corporate expansion, bringing significant commercial real estate activity along with it.

That growth has changed the physical shape of the city. New office towers, industrial projects, mixed-use developments, and large-scale residential construction have expanded across much of the metro over the last decade. At the same time, Austin still feels closely tied to the local culture that helped fuel its rise in the first place. Music venues, independent restaurants, outdoor spaces, and long-established neighborhoods continue to shape the city’s identity even as development accelerates around them.

For commercial real estate professionals, Austin remains a market defined by both opportunity and competition. Population growth, business migration, and ongoing investment continue to support long-term demand across much of the metro, though the pace of recent development has also created more balance in parts of the market than existed several years ago. Even so, Austin remains one of the cou

Austin’s growth has transformed the region over the last decade, turning what was once a smaller college and government city into one of the country’s largest and fastest-growing metros. People continue moving to the area for a mix of job opportunities, higher wages, outdoor amenities, and a lifestyle that still feels more relaxed than many other major tech-driven markets.

That growth has expanded well beyond downtown Austin itself. Communities throughout the surrounding counties have seen rising development activity as businesses and residents spread across the broader metro in search of housing, office space, retail, and industrial opportunities.

• More than 1 million residents call Austin home, while the larger Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro area has a population of over 2.5 million.
• The median age is 34.8, which is slightly younger than the figures in Texas and the US.
• Based on data from the US Census Bureau, Austin has grown to become the twelfth most populous city in America, with steady year-over-year population growth.
• The six-county metro area comprises Burnett, Williamson, Travis, Hays, Bastrop, and Caldwell counties.
• Per capita income is $66,973, about 1.5 times the overall amounts for Texas and the US. Median household income is also higher than state and US averages, totalling $90,430.
• The cost of living in Austin is about 4% lower than the national average, and far more affordable than many other large US metros.

Austin’s job market has grown well beyond its early reputation as a startup and tech hub. While technology still plays a major role in the local economy, the region has also built strong momentum in industries like advanced manufacturing, life sciences, finance, and clean energy, helping create a broader and more diversified employment base.

Large employers, expanding corporate campuses, and a highly educated workforce continue to attract companies looking for long-term growth opportunities in Central Texas. That combination has helped Austin keep attracting new employers, investment, and skilled workers even as competition between major metros has intensified. 

• Austin-Round Rock MSA gross domestic product is over $248 billion, increasing by nearly 22% and ranking among America’s top metros over the last five years.
• The unemployment rate in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro area is 3.4% (March 2026).
• Austin's key industries include advanced manufacturing, corporate headquarters, automotive, clean technology, financial services, data management, life sciences, and space technology.
• Some of Austin's major employers are Amazon Fulfillment Centers, Apple, Austin Independent School District, Dell Technologies, H-E-B, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, and the State of Texas.
• More than 40 publicly traded companies are headquartered in Austin, while over 170 foreign-owned companies operate headquarters in the metro area. Major corporate and regional headquarters in Austin include Apple, Charles Schwab, Dell, eBay, Facebook, General Motors, IBM, Whole Foods, and Indeed.
• Austin is ranked as the 9th best US city for jobs by WalletHub, based on factors such as job opportunities, employment growth, and monthly average starting salary.
• Several major companies in Austin, including Allen Control Systems, ARM, and CesiumAstro, have announced plans for expansion in 2026. 
• Over 60% of Austin residents hold a Bachelor’s or post-graduate degree, a rate that is more than 1.5 times that of Texas overall. 
•  The Austin area is home to several major higher education institutions, including The University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University in nearby San Marcos, and Austin Community College.
• The metro area transportation network includes major interstates I-35 and US Highway 183, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), and Capital Metro for public transit.