Austin is on a roll! This week US News and World Report named Austin, Texas the best place to live in America, coming on the heels of its recent top ranking for Startup Activity from the Kauffman Foundation. Austin has always performed well on both fronts, but top honors for these two prestigious rankings in close succession puts substance behind the reputation.
Source: City of Austin
"There's a certain natural affinity to Texas for business people because it's viewed as a pro-business, low-tax, low government interference for business state," said Rob Adams, director of Texas Venture Labs at the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business and a former software entrepreneur in a recent Dallas News article on the Kauffman ranking. "Then it becomes, 'If I'm going to Texas for my startup, where's the best place?' "
In the same article, Adams went on to say “… the abundance of startup activity in Texas could benefit the state long-term if some of those companies grow and thrive. Only about 10 to 20 percent of startups are in business three to five years after they're founded… That means it takes a lot of early-stage startups for a home run.”
In an Austin American Statesman article on the US News ranking, Austin Mayor Steve Adler was quoted as saying “We celebrate what we’re doing right to be ranked first, recognizing it also highlights the accompanying affordability, equity and mobility challenges that our city faces…” Great news for Texas and well-earned accolades for Austin.