I asked my wife this question couple days ago. She is 5th generation Texan. She ws raised near Llano ranching community hour or so North of Austin. Here is her take and NO she has not a predujiced bone in her body.
It all boils down to the general quality of people. What perentage of the whites, the blacks, the browns are honest and hard working non criminal types and HOW the kids are raised by each group. What is the quality of education? Why put people in groups? Because thats life.
Life goes to chit when the parents are honest but the kids are raised to have to NO values. Another factor here. How many Mex. gangs end up in Houston vs Austin or Llano?????? The answer to Llano is ZERO.
How many cat convertors are stole very night in Houston vs Austin? Murders? Home invasions? Burglery? Rapes? Domestic violence? How many TONS of Fentenol??????How manyy illegals died locked in a semi trailer??? How many cops died????
Austin has old r/e residentual areas as does any city/town but Austins area has on average better citizens there. Better as in honest and not criminals. Austin draws more tech industry and it draws more $$$$ people in general and Houston although very prosperous in general is different. In general, the "lower end" pop. is different. Steve points out stats and stats tell the truth. I don't have to bother to verify I know it is true. Usually, crime happens in lower end communities not so much in the upper end. OK so a millionaire can go nuts and kill his wife, family and then himself. It happens. But he doesn't get caught stealing converots and shoot a cop.
Politics?? Both Houston and Austin are both very LIBERAL so politics have no real meaning as to why and what. IF the quality of gov' ment of Austin is of a much higher level, then that is a big factor. Voters? There are plenty of well educated smart people in both cities, but what is the percentage of idiots that are voters??????????
Ther is a difference in everything in this old world.