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Cost of living, pay and housing

30.29° N · 97.81° W · GEOID 4877632

West Lake Hills

Travis County, Texas · part of the Austin, TX metro

Limited data population under 5,000

TexasWest Lake Hills, TXWest Lake HillsWest Lake Hills

The short answer

West Lake Hills is home to 3,285 people. Median household income is $198,125 a year and median rent is $3,501 a month, 21.2% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $1,664,500, about 8.4x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$3,501
156% above the median place
Median household income
$198,125
147% above the median place
Median home value
$1,664,500
above the median place (median $319,400)
Unemployment
4.6%
7% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about West Lake Hills

  • Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, rent rose 19.6% a year while household income rose 1.1%, so rent outran pay by more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-highest of 415 Texas places.
  • Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 75 hours a year commuting, less than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 351 Texas places.
  • The median home is valued at $1,664,500, more than in 99% of places its size. It is the 3rd-highest of 415 Texas places.
  • Median rent is $3,501 a month, higher than in 98% of places its size. It is the highest of 415 Texas places.
  • After the median rent, and with prices for everything else adjusted to the US average, the median household has about $167,000 a year left, more than in 96% of places its size.

Many people here skip the commute entirely: 42% work from home, which keeps total commuting time lower than in 99% of places.

01

Moving to West Lake Hills

Travis County loses about 8.8 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in80,730
Moved out89,625
Net−8,895

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Williamson County, TX13,30921,819−8,510
Hays County, TX3,8439,079−5,236
Harris County, TX4,2823,302+980
Bastrop County, TX1,7083,915−2,207
Bexar County, TX2,7362,719+17
Dallas County, TX2,1741,793+381
Bell County, TX1,3161,823−507

Within Texas, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within TexasOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$100K
Leavers$104K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Travis County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.3% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.2% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Travis County report $99,900 a year in income on average; those leaving, $104,200.
Income you would need
$140,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $3,501 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $4,001 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $1,664,500.
Getting to work
17 minutes each way on average; 41.8% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Rolling Hills Estates, CA matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
5.3%
8% below the median place
Income of households moving out7
$104,237
48% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
-8.8
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureWest Lake HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year15.3%8% below
Moved from another state1County figure3.2%61% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-8.8below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$99,91542% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$104,23748% above
02

What it costs to live here

Median home value is $1,664,500, above the median place (median $319,400).

West Lake Hills21.2%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$140,040
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
21.2%
4% above the median place
Home price to income
8.4x
121% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
21%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$166,800
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in West Lake Hills, $3,501 a month, and local prices for everything else (93.5 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like West Lake Hills, but easier on the budget

Close matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income.

PlaceRent to incomeMore left a year
Corte Madera, CA18.0% vs 21.2%$24,900Compare
Kensington, CA17.7% vs 21.2%$29,300Compare
Englewood Cliffs, NJ18.2% vs 21.2%$12,400Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in West Lake Hills.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to West Lake Hills? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median home value1
$1,664,500
above the median place (median $319,400)
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$4,001
114% above the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$10,001
206% above the median place
All 14 cost and housing measures
MeasureWest Lake HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$3,501156% above
Rent to income121.2%4% above
Home price to income18.4x121% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure98.13% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,81713% above
Property tax paid (median)1$10,001206% above
Median home value1$1,664,500above (median $319,400)
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure-1.7%below (median 3.2%)
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure31.5%39% below
Homeownership186.2%30% above
Renters paying 30%+152.6%4% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$4,001114% above
Vacant homes111.9%69% above
Median year built119921% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Works from home1
41.8%
235% above the median place
Income per person1
$123,619
208% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureWest Lake HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$198,125147% above
Income per person1$123,619208% above
Unemployment1County figure4.6%7% below
Average annual pay5County figure$100,92853% above
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure4.8%30% above
Jobs5County figure934,650above (median 150,665)
Poverty rate1County figure10.9%1% above
Mean commute117 min33% below
Works from home141.8%235% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

High school or higher is 99.6%, 8% above the median place.

High school or higher1
99.6%
8% above the median place
Population change since 20206
-6.9%
below the median place (median 1.1%)
Bachelor's or higher1
80.6%
151% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Median age50.2 +29%
Homes with broadband95.0% +3%
Household size2.7 +6%
Born abroad6.9% −22%
All 9 people measures
MeasureWest Lake HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population13,2856646th largest
Population change since 20206-6.9%below (median 1.1%)
Median age150.229% above
Bachelor's or higher180.6%151% above
High school or higher199.6%8% above
Household size12.76% above
Born abroad16.9%22% below
No health insurance1County figure12.1%89% above
Homes with broadband195.0%3% above
05

Life in West Lake Hills

221 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents0.0 −100%
Playgrounds per 10k42.6 4.5×
Grocery stores per 10k15.2 7.2×
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k63.9 5.7×
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails2 km −5%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars25.9 +25%
Shops29.3 −3%
Arts, recreation and fitness7.5 +83%
Doctors' offices and clinics27.6 +37%
Child care centers2.1 −9%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools12
310
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students12
191,191
above the median place (median 4,897)
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8
7.5
83% above the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureWest Lake HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure310above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure191,191above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher12County figure15.03% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure25.925% above
Shops per 10k8County figure29.33% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure7.583% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure27.637% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.19% below
Parks per 10k90.0below (median 10.2)
Playgrounds per 10k942.6353% above
Grocery stores per 10k915.2above (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k963.9above (median 11.2)
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails91.95% below
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
National Register listings10County figure221above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 95, 50% below the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
95
50% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
3,043
151% above the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Tornado risk14
99.7
22% above the median place
July average high13
96°F
10% above the median place
Average temperature13
68°F
24% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureWest Lake HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure96°F10% above
January average low13County figure38°F52% above
Average temperature13County figure68°F24% above
Annual precipitation13County figure35.5 in19% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure97.76% above
Hurricane risk14County figure77.19% above
Tornado risk14County figure99.722% above
Wildfire risk14County figure90.848% above
Heat wave risk14County figure98.59% above
Median air quality index15County figure5323% above
Good air days15County figure43.6%36% below
08

West Lake Hills in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 24% of the median income in 2030, up from 21% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$3,501/mo (2024)$4,860/mo$3,980 to $5,920/mo+5.6%
Median household income$198,125 (2024)$246,500$208,000 to $291,500+3.7%
Median home value$1,664,500 (2024)$2,447,000$1,776,000 to $3,371,000+6.6%
Population3,229 (2025)3,1503,020 to 3,280−0.5%

The median home would be worth 9.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 8.4 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like West Lake Hills

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Rolling Hills Estates, CA$3,501$191,895Compare
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA$3,501$179,623Compare
Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA$3,501$200,761Compare
Corte Madera, CA$3,501$232,763Compare
Corte Madera, CALucas Valley-Marinwood, CARancho Palos Verdes, CARolling Hills Estates, CAWest Lake Hills, TXWest Lake HillsRolling Hills EstatesLucas Valley-MarinwoodWest Lake HillsRolling Hills EstatesLucas Valley-Marinwood

Common questions

Is West Lake Hills a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, rent rose 19.6% a year while household income rose 1.1%, so rent outran pay by more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-highest of 415 Texas places. Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 75 hours a year commuting, less than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 351 Texas places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is West Lake Hills expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 21.2% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $1,664,500.

What salary do you need to live in West Lake Hills?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $140,040 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is West Lake Hills safe?

There were 95 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to West Lake Hills?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Rolling Hills Estates, CA, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA and Corte Madera, CA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares West Lake Hills with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for West Lake Hills itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/west-lake-hills-texas

Citytistics. “West Lake Hills, Texas.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/west-lake-hills-texas/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.