Austin Healthcare Council, the central hub for collaboration, innovation, and leadership across the Central Texas healthcare ecosystem, today announced its inaugural report, “The State of Healthcare: An Industry and Innovation Profile of Central Texas,” in partnership with the Austin Chamber of Commerce.

Healthcare is one of Central Texas’s most important economic engines, creating well-paying jobs, supporting major capital investments, meeting the needs of employers and families, and providing the clinical foundation on which digital health and life sciences industries can grow. This single authoritative report shows its scale, opportunities, and challenges across five counties—Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Caldwell, and Hays—and why the industry is well positioned to expand with the region’s population.

“When industry leaders founded the council 10 years ago, they believed Central Texas could do more to help people by working together,” said Sarah Churchill Llamas, President & CEO of the Austin Healthcare Council. “This report shows how much that collaboration has achieved in strengthening the healthcare infrastructure in Central Texas to become a core economic driver and significant source of employment. For the first time, we have a complete picture of our healthcare economy, where we are making meaningful strides in workforce and innovation, and a clear path to build on in the years ahead.”

Central Texas Healthcare Momentum

From 2021 to 2026, healthcare employment in Central Texas grew 32 percent, and quarterly wages rose almost 64 percent. Healthcare capacity is expanding in many of the same communities absorbing the region’s overall population and employer growth; Williamson County recorded the fastest employment percentage growth, and Travis County added the most jobs in total.

From an investment perspective, Austin’s healthcare private equity and venture capital deal value totaled approximately $9.3 billion across 693 deals from 2021 through 2025, with digital health generating the most deals out of the four principal healthcare sectors (digital health, healthcare services, life sciences and biotechnology, and medical devices and diagnostics).

“For some time, our region has been known for technology, academia, and government leadership. Now, we have undeniable momentum in healthcare; it’s a driver of our economy, investments, and workforce,” said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. “Today, people in our community can get specialized care close to home that once required a trip to another city, which is a testament to our growing healthcare resources, collaboration, and drive to care for each other in Central Texas.”

The report outlines how Central Texas has built clinical depth over the past decade with a foundation of innovation and collaboration, with digital health emerging as a sector that is uniquely positioned to accelerate.

Looking ahead, healthcare constraints to address in Central Texas include expanding workforce capacity, improving behavioral health access, and strengthening conditions such as growth-stage capital that allow healthcare technology companies to commercialize and scale locally.

“Healthcare is a powerful engine for business growth in Central Texas and a source of stability, creating great jobs and attracting investment in everything from care delivery to digital health. This report shows business leaders just how much opportunity lies ahead,” said Jeremy Martin, President & CEO of the Austin Chamber of Commerce. “Young people are eager to build careers in healthcare, and that enthusiasm is one of our greatest opportunities. By expanding clinical training, we can turn that interest into a broader workforce that powers our next chapter of growth,” he added.

The full report can be found at www.austinhealthcarecouncil.org/stateofhealthcare2026.

About the Austin Healthcare Council

The Austin Healthcare Council (AHC) is the central hub for collaboration, innovation, and leadership across the Central Texas healthcare ecosystem. Founded in 2016 by industry leaders, the executive leadership membership organization brings together healthcare delivery, life sciences, technology, academia, insurance, and other sectors to exchange knowledge, build relationships, and advance solutions to the challenges and opportunities shaping healthcare in the region. Learn more at AustinHealthcareCouncil.org and follow on LinkedIn/Austin-Healthcare-Council.

About the Austin Chamber of Commerce

The Austin Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit membership organization that helps people live, work, and thrive in Austin. The Austin Chamber invests in a broad range of programs that build and support Austin’s diverse business community. The Austin Chamber is the voice of business at all levels of government. To learn more, visit austinchamber.com.

Media gallery

About The Author
Business Wire