Savannah does something to people that few cities pull off. You visit for a weekend, walk through the squares, eat somewhere exceptional, and come home to Austin thinking about whether you made the right choice of city. I hear this from Austin homeowners more than you might expect.
I am going to give you the honest version of this move. Savannah has real advantages over Austin in some meaningful ways. It also has some real limitations. And the financial picture has a major moving part that will determine whether this makes sense for your household.
The Tax Reality: The Biggest Number in This Decision
Texas has no state income tax. You already know this. You have been living without paying one for however many years you have been in Austin, and if you are like most Austinites, you have mentally spent that money.
When you move to Georgia, you start paying a 5.39% state income tax (2026 rate, phasing down toward elimination but still very real right now). On $100,000 of household income, that is $5,390 per year in a new tax obligation. At $150,000 income, it is $8,085 per year. At $200,000, it is $10,780 per year, every year, indefinitely.
That is the single biggest financial consequence of this move, and you need to build it into your thinking before anything else. Some people read that and still move. Savannah offers things that are worth real money to them: a lower pace of life, smaller city feel, beautiful architecture, and proximity to family in the Southeast. Those are legitimate reasons to take an income tax hit. Just go in with your eyes open about the size of it.
On property taxes, you catch a real break. Travis County runs 1.63% to 1.95% effective property tax rate. Chatham County (Savannah) runs about 0.75% to 0.9% for owner-occupied residential properties. On a $500,000 Austin home stepping down to a $400,000 Savannah home, you might save $5,000 to $7,000 per year in property taxes. That meaningfully offsets the income tax hit at lower income levels, less so at higher ones.
Housing: What Your Austin Equity Buys in Savannah
This is where most Austin sellers get a welcome surprise. Savannah’s median home price is around $290,000 to $330,000 for the metro, with desirable areas like the Historic District, Ardsley Park, and the Landings running higher. If you have owned in Austin since before 2022, you likely have substantial equity.
Selling a $600,000 to $800,000 Austin home and buying a $350,000 to $500,000 Savannah home is a scenario that frees up meaningful capital, which is exactly what attracts some Austin homeowners to this move.
| Expense | Austin, TX | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price (metro) | ~$470,000 | ~$310,000 |
| State income tax | $0 | 5.39% (2026, phasing down) |
| Property tax effective rate | 1.63%–1.95% (Travis Co.) | ~0.75%–0.9% (Chatham Co.) |
| Avg monthly utilities | $150–$200 avg, $300–$400 peak summer | $175–$230 (humidity-driven AC) |
| Avg 1BR rent | $1,400–$1,800 | $1,100–$1,400 |
| Overall COL index | About 5% above national avg | About 2% below national avg |
Overall cost of living in Savannah runs modestly below the national average, compared to Austin’s modestly above. You will spend less on most things. Groceries, dining out, and services tend to run cheaper. The state income tax is the significant counterweight to all of that, and at higher income levels it is the dominant variable.
What Austin People Experience When They Land in Savannah
The pace is the first thing everyone mentions. Savannah is a deliberately unhurried city, and if you are coming from Austin where everything is urgent and growing and the construction crane count is a civic sport, Savannah feels almost meditative. This is a feature for many people and a source of restlessness for others. Know which kind of person you are.
The squares are extraordinary. There are 22 of them in Savannah’s historic grid, and they create a city that functions like a series of outdoor rooms. Forsyth Park at the south end of the historic district is one of the better urban parks in the South. The live oak canopy over much of the city, draped in Spanish moss, is something photographs do not quite capture. For people who care about walkable, beautiful urban design, Savannah is genuinely special in a way that Austin, for all its energy, is not.
The food scene is excellent for a city of 150,000. The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has driven a creative professional culture that supports independent restaurants above what the population size alone would sustain. It is not Austin’s scale, but it is a real food city.
What Austin people miss: the tech industry energy, Lady Bird Lake running trails, live music at the scale Austin does it, and the feeling that the city is building toward something. Savannah is a city that has largely become what it is. That is beautiful for some people. For others, especially people who moved to Austin precisely for the growth energy, it can feel like a retreat.
Career-wise, Savannah’s economy centers on the Port of Savannah, Gulfstream Aerospace, the military installations, SCAD, healthcare, and tourism. For most technology roles, the local job market is thin. If you are remote, this is irrelevant. If you need a local employer, manage your expectations carefully.
Where Austin People Tend to Land in Savannah
I think about this carefully for each city. Here is where Austin people actually fit in Savannah based on the patterns I have seen.
The Historic District: For the South Congress and Clarksville People
If you lived in South Congress, Bouldin Creek, or Clarksville and loved the walkable, character-forward neighborhood feel, the Historic District is where you belong. It is the most walkable part of Savannah, within easy reach of the best restaurants and the squares. Historic homes (many dating from the 1800s) require maintenance and sometimes creative problem-solving, which Austin character-home buyers tend to already understand. Prices for Historic District properties have risen considerably and now start in the mid-$400,000s for a genuine historic home. Condos and smaller units are available for less.
Ardsley Park and Gordonston: For the Hyde Park and Tarrytown Crowd
Ardsley Park is Savannah’s established residential neighborhood: craftsman bungalows, colonial revival homes, mature trees, and a quiet character that feels earned rather than manufactured. It is the closest analog to Austin’s Hyde Park and Tarrytown. Gordonston, adjacent to Ardsley Park, has a similar feel at a slightly lower price point. Both are walkable to Forsyth Park and close enough to the Historic District to access it without driving.
Starland and Thomas Square: For the East Austin Creative Crowd
The Starland District and Thomas Square are Savannah’s arts-forward, younger neighborhoods. Local breweries, coffee roasters, independent galleries, and restaurants that take the food seriously. If you lived in East Austin for the energy rather than the convenience, Starland gives you that spirit at Savannah’s pace. It is more manageable than East Austin but has the same soul.
Pooler and Richmond Hill: For the Cedar Park and Round Rock Crowd
Pooler to the west of Savannah and Richmond Hill to the south are where the practical, suburban-minded Austin household tends to land. Newer construction, good schools, lower prices, and manageable commutes to Savannah’s employment centers. If you chose Cedar Park or Round Rock for the same practical reasons, Pooler and Richmond Hill will feel familiar and sensible.
Tybee Island and the Coastal Communities: For the Lake Travis Crowd
Some Austin people chose Lakeway or Hudson Bend specifically for the water. If Lake Travis was central to your Austin lifestyle, Tybee Island and the coastal communities east of Savannah offer an ocean version of that pull. Tybee Island has gotten expensive by coastal Georgia standards, but it remains accessible compared to similar barrier island communities in Florida or the Carolinas.
Finding Your Savannah Home
I work with experienced agents in the Savannah and coastal Georgia market who help Austin transplants find the right neighborhood and negotiate the local dynamics. If you need a recommendation, I am happy to connect you.
On the Austin side, I will handle your home sale and coordinate the timing so everything lines up.
Get your Austin home value | Talk to Ed
Practical Tips for the Austin to Savannah Move
Austin to Savannah is about 1,100 miles by road, roughly 15 to 16 hours of driving. Most people fly: Austin-Bergstrom (AUS) connects to Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV) through Atlanta, Charlotte, or other hubs. There is no nonstop route, but the connection is easy from AUS.
Timing the Austin sale with a Savannah purchase requires coordination. The Austin market moves faster than Savannah’s in most conditions, which means you may sell before you are ready to close in Georgia. Talk to agents on both sides early and build buffer into your timeline.
Things to handle:
- Update your driver’s license and vehicle registration in Georgia within 30 days of establishing residency. Georgia enforces this more actively than some states.
- Research Chatham County’s property tax exemptions. Georgia’s homestead exemption reduces assessed value for county taxes, and there are additional exemptions for certain ages and income levels. File in the year you move in.
- If you are buying in the Historic District, hire an inspector who specifically knows historic Savannah construction. There are moisture issues, foundation types, and building systems particular to century-old coastal Georgia homes that a general inspector may miss.
- Budget for humidity. Savannah’s summers are hot and very humid, and HVAC systems work hard. A well-maintained system is not optional in a Savannah home. Get the service history before you buy.
- Hurricane awareness: Savannah is on the Georgia coast. Direct hits are historically infrequent but the threat is real. Understand flood zone designations for any property you consider and price flood insurance accurately before you commit.
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