The U.S. Census Bureau released the latest American Community Survey five-year estimates for 2014-18 on Dec. 19. According to the census, the annual data release “helps local officials, community leaders, and businesses understand the changes taking place in their communities.”

The data shows year-over-year growth in Austin’s population, median age, median income and median home value. For homeowners, that growth has translated to a steady increase in mortgage payments over the last five years, and the data shows renters have also faced significant increases in the median amount they pay monthly.

In the central area of the city, the population growth has mostly mirrored Austin as a whole. In the 11 ZIP codes in Community Impact Newspaper's Central Austin circulation area, census data estimates show a 2.8% increase from 2017 to 2018 and a 9.4% increase from 2014 to 2018. In Austin as a whole, the most recent estimates show the city’s 2018 population at 935,755 residents. That’s a 2.1% increase from 2017 and up 8.2% from 2014. The median home value in Austin surpassed the $300,000 mark in 2018, according to the data, reaching $312,300, up from $285,900 in 2017. Since 2014, census data shows the median home value has increased by at least 5% each year. That increase in home values has led to a corresponding increase in median mortgage and rent payments in Austin. As the city grows and housing values increase, Austin’s median income and age have also climbed upward over the last five years.