Three different risks
Crime & scams
Compare cities and neighborhoods by crime type. A national average poorly describes an individual school district.
Conflict & regional warnings
Mass violence, natural hazards and international conflict should be assessed separately.
Roads & transport
In Austin, a car is often part of the basic budget: purchase, financing, insurance, maintenance and parking. Our estimate excludes purchase.
What is happening in this country
GDACS · source snapshot 2026-09-12. An event in the country does not imply a threat to every city.
Earthquake
2026-09-11 · GDACS Green
Source report (EN)
Green earthquake (Magnitude 4.5M, Depth:43.105km) in United States 11/09/2026 07:31 UTC, 4 thousand in MMI>=I.
Earthquake
2026-09-05 · GDACS Green
Source report (EN)
Green earthquake (Magnitude 4.9M, Depth:35km) in United States 05/09/2026 18:00 UTC, Few people affected in MMI>=I.
Tropical cyclone
2026-08-27 · GDACS Green
Source report (EN)
Green notification for tropical cyclone LOWELL-26. Population affected by Category 1 (120 km/h) wind speeds or higher is 2381 .
Rights, police & documents
Check address registration, permitted stay, extensions and authorized work. Keep copies of passport, status and insurance separate from originals, plus a local lawyer and your country's consular contacts.
Do not sign legal documents you do not understand without translation and advice. Do not assume an informal payment resolves a problem lawfully.
Communication & business culture without stereotypes
A smile, friendliness or a verbal yes is not a contract. Confirm the agreed scope, decision maker, response deadline and completion criteria. Follow meetings with a written summary in a language both parties understand.
Before paying a deposit, verify company registration, signatory authority, address, licenses and refund terms. Use milestone payments and independent checks for major deals. This addresses concrete risks, not honesty stereotypes based on nationality.