Retiring to Austin,with the numbers in hand.
No state income tax, a real break on school property taxes at 65, and everything from golf communities to lake towns to city condos. Here is what changes when you retire in Texas — including the heat.
Lower taxes, big skies,and a real airport.
Retirees come for many of the same reasons working families do — plus a few that matter more once the paychecks stop.
Texas has no personal income tax, so the state does not tax Social Security, pensions, or 401(k) and IRA withdrawals. Federal tax still applies. Property tax is where Texas collects instead — see the next section.
Homes and everyday costs generally run below California, New York and much of the Northeast. Our cost-of-living calculator compares your current city line by line, including property tax.
Austin-Bergstrom (AUS) has nonstop flights to most major U.S. cities and several international routes — handy for visiting children and grandchildren, or for escaping part of the summer.
UT Austin brings lectures, museums, concerts, Longhorn games and a lifelong learning institute for adults 50 and up. Southwestern University is in Georgetown and Texas State in San Marcos.
Lake Travis and the Highland Lakes, the trail around Lady Bird Lake, dozens of golf courses and several state parks within an easy drive. Outdoor season runs most of the year.
Winters are short and mostly mild, with an occasional hard freeze. Summers are long: a normal year has about 29 days of 100°F or more. Locals plan around it — early walks, indoor hobbies, a trip north.
Sources: Texas Constitution, Art. 8, §24-a (Prop 4, 2019); NOAA 1991–2020 normals (Austin Camp Mabry).
Turn 65,and your school tax stops climbing.
With no income tax, property tax does the heavy lifting in Texas — and the school district is usually the biggest line on the bill. At 65, homeowners get three big breaks on their primary home.
Apply with the Travis, Williamson or Hays Central Appraisal District. The address on your Texas driver license must match the home. General information only — confirm details with your appraisal district or a tax professional.
Sources: Texas Comptroller (residence homestead exemptions; Forms 50-114 and 50-126); Ballotpedia (Props 11 and 13, Nov 2025); Travis County Tax Office; Travis Central Appraisal District; Texas Tax Code §§11.13, 11.26, 26.112, 33.06.
Age-restricted by law,built around amenities.
These communities are legally 55+ under the federal Housing for Older Persons Act: at least 80% of occupied homes must have a resident 55 or older. Rules for younger household members and guests vary, so read each community’s documents.
Del Webb’s long-established 55+ community north of Austin, with three golf courses, several amenity centers, resident clubs and miles of trails. Del Webb still builds here, and resales are common.
Toll Brothers’ 55+ neighborhood inside the Santa Rita Ranch master plan. Single-story plans on 50-, 60- and 70-foot lots, with access to the larger community’s pools, trails and fitness center.
Brookfield Residential’s gated 55+ community in the Hill Country between Austin and San Antonio, with a golf course, a large clubhouse, pickleball and an activities calendar.
Del Webb’s newest Austin-area 55+ community, inside The Colony east of Austin. Homes are one-story; first move-ins were planned for summer 2026 and the amenity center for 2027, as announced.
A Taylor Morrison 55+ neighborhood inside the Vizcaya master plan, with its own clubhouse, The Lodge. New homes are sold out, so buying here means a resale.
Ask about HOA dues and what they cover, any MUD or PID tax, rules for younger residents and guests, and whether the amenities are finished. Builder pricing and incentives change often.
Plan for later,while it’s still your choice.
A continuing care retirement community — also called a Life Plan community — lets you move in while independent and add assisted living, memory care or nursing on the same campus if you need it.
- Westminster — a nonprofit community in central Austin, operating since 1967
- Longhorn Village — in Steiner Ranch in northwest Austin, near Lake Travis
- Querencia at Barton Creek — a Hill Country campus in the Barton Creek area of west Austin
- All three — independent living plus assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing on site
- Entrance fee plus a monthly fee — the usual model; some entrance fees are partly refundable
- Life Care contracts — higher up front, with monthly fees that stay steadier if you need more care
- Fee-for-service contracts — lower up front; you pay market rates for care later
- Waiting lists — common at popular communities, so start conversations early
- Texas Department of Insurance — regulates these communities and issues each a certificate of authority
- Disclosure statement — the provider must give it to you before you sign or pay an entrance fee
- Ask — recent monthly fee increases, occupancy and financial reserves
- Get advice — have an elder law attorney or financial advisor review the contract
Update Medicare,then pick your hospital.
Original Medicare works anywhere in the U.S. Medicare Advantage and drug plans are local, so a move to Texas often means choosing a new plan.
If your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan does not serve your new address, you get a Special Enrollment Period. Tell your plan before you move and it starts the month before; it runs 2 full months after the move.
Update your address with Social Security. A Medigap policy generally stays with you, though the premium can change. Leaving a Medicare Advantage plan’s area can give you a limited right to buy Medigap.
From October 15 to December 7, you can change Medicare Advantage or drug plans for January 1. Compare plans on Medicare.gov with your new ZIP code, and check that your doctors are in network.
The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area has state-certified Medicare counselors serving Travis, Williamson, Hays and nearby counties. Free and unbiased; the statewide line is 800-252-9240.
St. David’s HealthCare, Ascension Seton and Baylor Scott & White run hospitals from downtown to Georgetown, Round Rock, Lakeway and Kyle. Dell Seton Medical Center downtown is the region’s adult Level I trauma center.
A large VA outpatient clinic in southeast Austin, part of VA Central Texas, whose medical centers are in Temple and Waco. Register with the Central Texas system after you move.
Sources: Medicare.gov (Special Enrollment Periods; Medigap; 2026 costs); Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Half-price buses,full calendars.
Most of greater Austin is car-first, but there is more to do — and more ways to get there — than newcomers expect.
- CapMetro Reduced Fare ID — riders 65+ and Medicare card holders pay half fare; the card costs $3 and is renewed every 2 years
- Fares — a reduced single ride is $0.60; CapMetro plans $0.75 from Jan. 10, 2027 (as announced; may change)
- MetroRail Red Line — runs between Leander, northwest Austin and downtown
- Outside CapMetro’s area — most suburbs rely on cars, rideshare and local volunteer ride programs
- UT OLLI — non-credit courses for adults 50 and up, on campus, livestreamed or on demand; no UT degree needed
- City of Austin senior activity centers — Lamar, Conley-Guerrero and South Austin, for ages 50+
- Allen R. Baca Center in Round Rock — classes and a fitness room for 50+, open to non-residents too
- Churches, libraries and HOA clubs — often the fastest way into a new neighborhood
- Texas State Parks Senior Partial Passport — Texas residents 65+ and a companion get 50% off park entry
- Water — Lake Travis, Lake Georgetown and the hike-and-bike trail around Lady Bird Lake
- Golf — City of Austin public courses, plus club courses in Georgetown, Lakeway and beyond
- Summer — plan outdoor time before 10 a.m. from June through September
- Meals on Wheels Central Texas, food banks, hospitals and libraries all rely on volunteers
- Museums, state parks and UT events use volunteer guides and ushers
Sources: CapMetro (Reduced Fare ID program; fare change announcement, Sept 2026); UT Austin OLLI; City of Austin Parks and Recreation; City of Round Rock; Texas Parks and Wildlife.
One story, low upkeep,a hospital nearby.
Buyers planning for retirement often want a single-story home, the primary suite on the main floor, little yard work and a short drive to care. Here is what different parts of the metro offer.
Describes housing and amenities only. For any address, check the FEMA flood map and seller’s disclosure, the age of the air conditioning, and the total tax rate.
What locals knowabout retiring here.
Melissa Jung, REALTOR®Small decisions that make the first Texas summer — and the first tax bill — easier.
Retiring to Austin?Start with how you want to live.
Tell us what matters — single-story, lake or golf, near family, close to your doctors. We will help you compare areas and communities, and plan visits before you fly in.