# Austin AMI Income Limits & Who Qualifies | Income Restricted Apartments

> Austin-area AMI income limits by household size, with 50% and 60% examples, so you know if you qualify in Austin.

URL: https://incomerestrictedapartments.com/guide/austin-ami-income-limits-who-qualifies/
Last-Modified: 2026-06-30

![Austin, Texas garden-style apartment exterior with mature trees at midday](/images/misc/austin-texas-garden-style-apartment-exterior-matur.webp)

## The Austin-Round Rock MSA

The Austin metro (HUD’s Austin-Round Rock MSA) covers Travis County plus the ring of suburbs: Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Leander, Kyle, Buda, and Manor. Every income restricted community in this area uses the Austin-MSA AMI figures.

## How AMI Works in Austin

Same rules as anywhere else, applied to the Austin-specific number:

-   **30% AMI**: deepest affordability
-   **50% AMI**: common LIHTC tier
-   **60% AMI**: most common LIHTC tier
-   **80% AMI**: workforce band

Because Austin’s AMI runs higher than most of Texas, the qualifying income for each tier is higher in absolute dollars. A household earning $55,000 might not qualify for a 60% unit in San Antonio but often does in Austin.

## Household Size Scale

The scale is the same everywhere, applied to the Austin figure:

-   1 person: ~70% of the 4-person figure
-   2 people: ~80%
-   3 people: ~90%
-   4 people: 100%
-   5 people: ~108%
-   6 people: ~116%

## We Don’t Post Specific Dollar Figures Here

Numbers move each spring. Stale numbers mislead people. At intake we run your metro, household size, and income against the current HUD/TDHCA published limits and tell you which tier fits.

![Austin AMI income limit table by household size](/images/misc/austin-ami-income-limit-table-by-household-size-br.webp)

## What Makes Austin Different

-   **Higher AMI** than the rest of Texas
-   **Strong LIHTC lease-up activity** in most years, meaning faster placement
-   **SMART Housing** program layered on top of federal LIHTC (see 
    
    Austin SMART Housing guide
    
    [/guide/austin-smart-housing-city-affordability-programs/ →](/guide/austin-smart-housing-city-affordability-programs/)
    
    )
-   **Two housing authorities**: HACA (city) and HATC (county)

## Working Households

Austin’s cost of living has climbed. Workforce households in the 60-80% AMI band often qualify for units they didn’t know existed. If you looked at income restricted options a couple of years ago and were told you made too much, re-check with current numbers.

## Related Reading

-   Austin Income Restricted Apartments Hub
    
    [/austin/ →](/austin/)
    
-   Austin SMART Housing & City Affordability Programs
    
    [/guide/austin-smart-housing-city-affordability-programs/ →](/guide/austin-smart-housing-city-affordability-programs/)
    
-   2026 Income Limits & AMI Tables by Texas Metro
    
    [/guide/2026-income-limits-ami-tables-by-metro-household-size/ →](/guide/2026-income-limits-ami-tables-by-metro-household-size/)
    

Start the free intake

[/contact/ →](/contact/)

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## Frequently Asked Questions

What income qualifies for income restricted apartments in Austin? +

Below the current Austin-MSA AMI limit for your household size. Most LIHTC units target 50-60% AMI, with some 30% and 80% units too. Austin's AMI runs relatively high, so limits can be higher than in San Antonio or DFW.

Is Austin's income limit higher than other Texas metros? +

Yes, in most years. HUD sets AMI by metro, and the Austin-Round Rock MSA has run above San Antonio, Houston, and DFW for several years. That means a household size that priced out elsewhere may qualify in Austin.

Where do these numbers come from? +

HUD publishes the base AMI figures annually. TDHCA aligns Texas-specific numbers for state-financed properties. We use the current published figures at intake.

## Related Guides

### Austin Waitlists: Which Are Open and How Long

Which Austin waitlists tend to open and how long is the wait? HACA notes and a multi-property strategy so you're not stuck on one closed list.

[Austin Waitlists: Which Are Open and How Long →](/guide/austin-affordable-housing-waitlists-open/)

### Which Austin Communities Are Accepting Applications Now

We track open vs. closed and lease-up Austin communities, then send you current matches. Ask for today's list, free.

[Which Austin Communities Are Accepting Applications Now →](/guide/austin-communities-accepting-applications-now/)

### Austin SMART Housing & City Affordability Programs

Austin's SMART Housing MFI rules, how they differ from LIHTC, and how to find SMART Housing units competitors miss.

[Austin SMART Housing & City Affordability Programs →](/guide/austin-smart-housing-city-affordability-programs/)

![](/images/misc/texas-income-restricted-apartment-community-family.webp)

Free · No Application Fees Wasted

## Want a Match, Not Just Info?

Start the free 5-minute intake. Licensed Texas team, matches within 24-48 hours, application fee rebate on approval.

See If I Qualify

[/contact/ →](/contact/)

 

Back to Austin

[/austin/ →](/austin/)