Austin is the fastest growing city in the US with a current metropolitan population of 2.1 million. The city is known to be very diverse, owing to the academic institutions, such as the University of Texas at Austin. The city is becoming a technology hub and home to many large company campuses such as Apple, Google, and Tesla, as well as a lively startup economy.
Moreover, the city has managed to cultivate a strong brand identify leveraging on the slogan, Keep Austin Weird, and the city's creative and music scene, amenable climate, and perception of a more laid-back lifestyle.
The city has room for growth in urban management due to inefficient resource management. As the city continues to attract talent, it will be important to look towards initiatives that curb electricity usage, make waste management systems more circular, and generally green city operations to drive the city's competitiveness.
