Where to Live Near Google in Austin
500 W 2nd St + 601 W 2nd St (Block 185), Downtown Austin · ~1,100 employees
The short answer
Google operates two adjacent office buildings in downtown Austin along West 2nd Street near the corner of Lamar Blvd. Both are walkable from the 2nd Street District and Lady Bird Lake. At roughly 1,100 employees, Google Austin is a mid-size office — large enough to anchor a real estate search, small enough that most employees choose centrally-located neighborhoods over suburban commutes.
The neighborhoods that actually work for this commute
Mueller
- Commute
- 15-20 min via MLK Blvd or I-35
- Price range
- $600K–$900K
- Schools
- Austin ISD
Mueller is the most-requested central Austin neighborhood for tech workers. It's a planned community with walkable retail, parks, a farmers market, and a mix of townhomes and single-family homes. Prices are high but justified by the quality of life and central location.
East Austin (78702)
- Commute
- 12-18 min via E 6th or E 2nd
- Price range
- $550K–$1M+
- Schools
- Austin ISD
East Austin is popular with younger tech workers for its walkability, restaurant and bar scene, and proximity to downtown. New construction townhomes and condos fill many lots. Traffic into downtown is manageable from East 6th or East 2nd.
South Congress / Travis Heights
- Commute
- 15-20 min via S Congress or S 1st
- Price range
- $650K–$1.2M
- Schools
- Austin ISD
South Congress and Travis Heights attract Google employees who want the Austin lifestyle — bungalows, walkability, proximity to Lady Bird Lake and Barton Springs. Premium prices, very limited inventory.
Clarksville / Tarrytown
- Commute
- 5-10 min via W 6th or Lamar
- Price range
- $900K–$2M+
- Schools
- Austin ISD (Casis Elem)
For senior Google employees with larger budgets, Clarksville and Tarrytown are essentially walking distance from the office. Expect $900K+ for a modest single-family home; the location premium is real.
Shortest commute
Clarksville / Tarrytown — 5-10 min via W 6th or Lamar
Best value
East Austin — $550K–$1M+
On your side of the table
What I watch for with relocating buyers
Most of my clients are relocating, a large share of them from California, Taiwan and mainland China. These are the things that actually go wrong, rather than generic moving advice.
The commute you accept on a map is not the one you will tolerate
Relocating buyers routinely accept a commute they have never driven, because thirty minutes looks the same on every map. Drive it at 8am on a Tuesday before you commit, not at noon on the Saturday you are touring. The difference between a twenty-minute and a forty-minute Austin commute is roughly one working week per year, and it is the single most common regret I hear at the twelve-month mark.
Texas has no state income tax and it is not free
The trade is a property tax rate that runs well above two percent in most new-construction suburbs once a MUD or PID is included. On a $600,000 home that can be $1,200 to $1,400 a month before principal and interest. Buyers arriving from California often budget from the California property tax they are used to and are genuinely shocked at the escrow figure. Run the effective rate for the specific address before you set a price ceiling, not the county rate.
The first-year tax bill on a new build is a trap
A new-construction home is often assessed on unimproved land for its first year, which produces a low first bill and a much larger second one. Lenders sometimes escrow from that first figure. Budget from the finished improved value plus any special district, and expect an escrow shortage notice in year two if nobody caught it.
If you are financing as a foreign national, that is a different loan
Buyers without US credit history or a US income record do not qualify for the same products, and the builder's in-house lender may not offer a foreign national program at all. That matters because the incentive is usually tied to that lender. Sort the financing path before you fall for a house, because discovering it at contract costs you the incentive and sometimes the home.
Buying remotely is normal here, but it changes what you need
A large share of my buyers tour by video before they ever land. That works, and it requires someone on the ground who will walk the lot, the street and the surrounding phase on camera rather than reshooting the builder's photos. The things a listing never shows are the retention pond behind the fence, the transmission line two streets over, and what the neighbouring phase is scheduled to become.
Relocation package timing and builder deadlines do not line up
Corporate relocation reimbursements, temporary housing windows and RSU vesting dates run on their own calendar, and builder incentives are conditioned on closing by a fixed date that is extendable only at the builder's discretion. Map both calendars onto one page before signing. A closing that slips past month end can trigger a penalty of a percentage of the sales price plus a daily charge on top of losing the incentive.
I work with buyers in English and Mandarin, and a good share of my clients buy before they ever land. On new construction the builder pays my fee in most cases, disclosed in writing before we tour.
Moving to Austin for Google, answered
Where do Google employees live in Austin? ▾
Mueller, East Austin, South Congress / Travis Heights, Clarksville / Tarrytown. Google operates two adjacent office buildings in downtown Austin along West 2nd Street near the corner of Lamar Blvd. Both are walkable from the 2nd Street District and Lady Bird Lake. At roughly 1,100 employees, Google Austin is a mid-size office — large enough to anchor a real estate search, small enough that most employees choose centrally-located neighborhoods over suburban commutes.
What is the shortest commute to Google in Austin? ▾
Clarksville / Tarrytown at 5-10 min via W 6th or Lamar. For senior Google employees with larger budgets, Clarksville and Tarrytown are essentially walking distance from the office. Expect $900K+ for a modest single-family home; the location premium is real.
Where is the best value near Google? ▾
East Austin at $550K–$1M+, zoned to Austin ISD. East Austin is popular with younger tech workers for its walkability, restaurant and bar scene, and proximity to downtown. New construction townhomes and condos fill many lots. Traffic into downtown is manageable from East 6th or East 2nd.
Should I rent first or buy right away when relocating to Austin? ▾
Rent first if you are uncertain which side of the metro your job will actually keep you on, or if your role might change campuses. Buy right away if the campus is fixed and you have driven the commute. The honest math is that a year of renting costs real money in a market that has been appreciating, and a wrong-side-of-town purchase costs more. The deciding question is not financial, it is how confident you are about where you will be working in three years.
How much house can I get in Austin compared to California? ▾
Considerably more square footage, on a larger lot, with a materially higher monthly tax burden. Compare the all-in monthly payment including property tax and any MUD or PID assessment rather than the purchase price, because the price comparison flatters Austin and the monthly comparison is closer than most people expect. Insurance is also higher than coastal California buyers anticipate.
Can I buy a home in Austin before I move? ▾
Yes, and many of my clients do. It needs video walkthroughs of the actual home and street rather than builder marketing, a clear financing path arranged before you are under contract, and someone who will physically attend the inspection and the builder orientation on your behalf. The orientation matters more than people realise: at several builders, visible defects not written on that list are waived.
Keep exploring
Moving to Austin for Google?
Tell me your campus, your timeline and your budget. I'll tell you which side of the metro actually makes sense before you spend a Saturday touring the wrong one.
Relocating for Google?
Pick a time. Tell me your start date and budget and I'll map the realistic options by commute, schools and what your money actually buys on each side of the metro.
Questions about moving to Austin for Google?
Tell me your campus, timeline and budget. I'll send a shortlist of neighborhoods and communities that fit, with the real commute times.