>>At least you have options, right? You could take a bus or a train. While most large metropolitan areas have some type of mass transit service (although it doesn't run to all areas), here, I have neither available to me.
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>This is where greens would step in and argue that urban densification is the solution - have everything within walking distance. Your "option" would be to move to the city.

Uh yeah...these would be the same greens who scream 'NIMBY! NIMBY!' about light rail and expanding the bus lines. And given that Austin is not having the same housing bust that the rest of the country seems to be having, along with the influx of Southern Californians who will pay 250-300K for a (less than) 1000 sq foot house on a lot 45' by 110' because it's a BARGAIN, unless you're making 6 figures a year you can't afford to live in Austin. I bought a house in Pflugerville (just north of Austin) because I could get 2 1/2 times the house on 3 times the lot for about a quarter of the price and 2/3's the yearly taxes.