
Ask HN: How does Austin compare to other tech hubs? - TP4Cornholio
I am a developer in the Washington DC metro considering moving to Austin because the DC metro area tech seems to be many years behind the other tech hubs. I was if people had insights or stories they&#x27;d like to share about moving to Austin.<p>How do salaries compare?<p>Is it easy to get a job if you&#x27;re an average 
engineer? (ie. not from Google, etc.)<p>What is the tech culture like at most companies? (Here most companies wear suits, etc?<p>Do most people work crazy hours?<p>Is the technology a few years behind SV?<p>Please share your thoughts
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bddenhartog
A few things I've noticed as I've read about other peoples' experiences:

\- Most startups are B2B, as opposed to those in Silicon Valley, of which the
vast majority are B2C.

\- Things move a bit slower - there's more planning, less hackety-hacking.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and doesn't mean that you'll be twiddling
your thumbs.

\- Cost of living is much, much lower, as you might imagine.

\- Tech scene is smaller, but more tight-knit. There aren't a vast array of
VCs and companies like in the valley, so chances are you'll bump into the same
people over time, and be able to build more personal connections within your
network, which is probably better than having a larger, more impersonal
network.

\- A lot of big companies have satellite offices around Austin, like Apple,
Intel, IBM, etc. You aren't necessarily locked into working for an "Austin
company", if you don't want to.

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TP4Cornholio
> \- A lot of big companies have satellite offices around Austin, like Apple,
> Intel, IBM, etc. You aren't necessarily locked into working for an "Austin
> company", if you don't want to.

Sounds good to me! I just want to avoid anything government-contractor related
after my experience in the DC metro.

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tiredwired
Austin is modern technically but, small compared to other cities. I moved
there in 2005 and moved away in 2010 because the tech companies in my niche
went away and I could not even get an interview let alone a job.

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fuzzfactor
I assume you moved to Houston since you were already so close.

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tiredwired
Moved to SF Bay area. Houston is a bit too humid.

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johnkoper
Generally there are more job opportunities in Washington DC area. Salaries are
also slightly higher there ~$110k/yearly vs ~$105k/yearly . You can do some
comparison on the salary map:
[https://jobsquery.it/map](https://jobsquery.it/map)

