Austin has plenty of employment prospects; it is a high-tech capital like San Jose and Boston. It has a reputation as a liberal/progressive city, but as another poster pointed out, Austin’s politics are incredibly diverse so you’ll feel at home no matter what your political leanings are.

If you can tolerate the heat, the weather is won’t be a problem since the winters are mild. Personally I prefer SOME rain and Austin gets it, not like the desert climate we have here.

Homes can get rather expensive, especially in the west of the city where the terrain is much like San Diego’s (with plenty of trees, unlike here). $400-$600K for a McMansion in the west and southwest, or $150-$300K for one in the east.