Inspired by a great infographic by the Austin Business Journal on where new residents are moving, I thought I would look at what was happening in the Marble Falls area.  The data source for these inquiries is the American Community Survey 2012 5-year estimates, which compiles nearly a thousand data sets at the census-tract level.  In the Austin MSA, this means that hundreds of neighborhoods are measured; by contrast, there are a total of eight census tracts in Burnet County, so entire cities and large unincorporated areas are the narrowest geographic identifier we can manage when looking at migration trends.

Without further ado, here are some of the more interesting points related to migration into the Marble Falls area:

Census Tract 9605 – Granite Shoals, Highland Haven, part of Kingsland

• Estimated population of 6,040 with a median age of 40.6; more than 58% of the population 25 years and older has a high school degree or less; 52.6% of the population 15 years and older earns less than $25,000 per year in individual income; nearly 22% of the population has moved within the last year, making this the most mobile census tract in the Marble Falls area
• People moving into this area come primarily from other parts of the county and tend to be much younger (median age: 17.1), while people moving from different counties within the state tend to be slightly older (41.3) with higher levels of education and higher individual incomes
• The data indicates that 1 out of every 10 people moving into the area from other counties in the state have a graduate or professional degree, and 14.5% of the people in that group earn more than $75,000 per year

Census Tract 9606 – Meadowlakes, Fairland

• Estimated population of 3,652 with a median age of 52.2 and a median individual income of $35,693; 70% of residents are married; 68% of residents have an associate’s degree or higher
• People moving into this area from other areas within the county tend to be about the same age but with lower median incomes ($22,692); people moving from other counties in the state tend to be younger (39.8 years old), have children, and have higher income levels (median income: $52,083; 30% earn more than $75,000 per year)
• This area has the lowest mobility rate in the region at 7.5%

Census Tract 9607 – City of Marble Falls

• Estimated population of 6,678 with a median age of 42.4 and a median individual income of $24,227; 54.1% of the population 25 years and over has an associate’s degree or higher
• Migration into the city from other parts of the county represents the majority of those moving to Marble Falls; these people tend to be younger (33.4) with young children and have slightly higher income levels; people moving from other counties within the state are also younger (30.5 years) and have slightly higher income levels, but they tend not to have young children
• This census tract is the only one in southern Burnet County where people moving into the area from all other areas have higher income levels than those already living in the area
• Of the 568 people who moved into this census tract from somewhere within the county, 447 were renters

Census Tract 9608 – Smithwick, Spicewood, Cottonwood Shores, Horseshoe Bay South

• Estimated population of 5,899 with a median age of 45.5 and a median income of $29,237; 60% of residents are married
• While people moving from other parts of Burnet County tend to be older (53.1) with lower incomes, people moving from other counties within the state are younger (34.4) with higher incomes ($33,688)
• The data shows no migration (0.0%) of young children (1 to 4 years) into this census tract—perhaps this is because they cannot drive yet

Exploring geographic mobility can be a difficult, confusing, and endless exercise, but the insights gained through the process can be a valuable tool in understanding who is moving into the Marble Falls area.

To see what a move to our area can do for you, contact us today: 830/798-7079 or cfletcher@marblefallseconomy.com.