Austin is the capital of Texas and the anchor of a metro area that has grown from about 1.7 million to over 2.4 million people in just the past decade. The city's tech sector — sometimes called "Silicon Hills" — includes major operations from Tesla (whose Gigafactory is in southeast Austin), Apple, Google, Meta, Oracle (which moved its HQ here), Samsung, and Dell (headquartered in nearby Round Rock). The University of Texas at Austin, one of the largest universities in the country, contributes to the city's youthful energy, research output, and football culture. Austin's identity is built on live music (6th Street, the Continental Club, ACL Fest, SXSW), outdoor recreation (Barton Springs, Lady Bird Lake, the Greenbelt), and a "Keep Austin Weird" ethos that prizes independent businesses and creative expression. Neighborhoods range from the luxury lakefront homes of Westlake and Tarrytown to the hip East Austin corridor, the family-friendly suburbs of Cedar Park and Round Rock, and the rapidly growing communities south along I-35 toward San Marcos. Traffic congestion on I-35, MoPac, and Highway 183 is a daily frustration, and the city's infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with growth. The cost of living has risen significantly — Austin is no longer the bargain it was a decade ago — but the absence of a state income tax remains a powerful draw. Austin ISD, Round Rock ISD, and Eanes ISD are the primary school districts, with Eanes consistently rated among the best in the state.