What is the best hospital in Austin?

St. David's Medical Center earns the highest CMS rating in Austin at 5 stars. South Austin Medical Center follows at 4 stars with a cost-to-charge ratio of 0.09. Both are part of the HCA-affiliated St. David's HealthCare system.

Which Austin hospitals are most affordable?

Austin hospitals generally have low cost-to-charge ratios, meaning high markups. South Austin Medical Center sits at 0.09 (roughly 11x actual cost), Round Rock Medical Center at 0.08, and North Austin Medical Center at 0.10. These reflect for-profit HCA pricing. Texas has minimal regulation on hospital pricing.

Is St. David's or Ascension Seton better in Austin?

St. David's Medical Center leads with 5 stars and South Austin Medical Center earns 4 stars. Ascension Seton, Austin's other major system, serves as the region's Level I trauma center but has separate CMS listings. For planned procedures, St. David's 5-star rating is the clear quality leader.

How many hospitals does Austin have?

The Austin metro area has approximately 7 major acute-care hospitals, including St. David's Medical Center (5-star), South Austin Medical Center (4-star), North Austin Medical Center (3-star), Round Rock Medical Center (3-star), and others. The market is growing rapidly with Austin's population boom.

How can I compare hospital prices in Austin?

Use Taven's free provider comparison tool to see real negotiated rates from Austin hospital transparency filings. Compare prices across St. David's, South Austin, North Austin, and other facilities for specific procedures.

Best Hospitals in Austin (2026) — Ranked by Quality & Cost

Austin is one of America's fastest-growing cities, and its healthcare infrastructure is racing to keep up. The good news: St. David's Medical Center earns a 5-star CMS rating, putting Austin in select company. The challenge: Austin's hospital market is dominated by for-profit HCA Healthcare, which drives some of the highest markups in Texas.

This guide ranks Austin-area hospitals by CMS star ratings, cost-to-charge ratios, and price transparency — essential data for one of the most expensive healthcare markets in the state.

Top 5 Hospitals in Austin

Hospital	CMS Rating	Cost-to-Charge	Discharges
St. David's Medical Center	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	N/A	N/A
South Austin Medical Center	⭐⭐⭐⭐	0.09	21,554
North Austin Medical Center	⭐⭐⭐	0.10	27,439
Round Rock Medical Center	⭐⭐⭐	0.08	11,935
Heart Hospital of Austin at St. David's Round Rock	⭐⭐⭐	N/A	N/A

Understanding the Rankings

CMS Star Ratings

St. David's Medical Center is Austin's crown jewel — the only 5-star hospital in the metro. South Austin Medical Center earns a solid 4 stars. The 3-star tier includes North Austin Medical Center, Round Rock Medical Center, and the Heart Hospital of Austin. Austin's rapid growth is creating demand that the current hospital infrastructure struggles to meet.

Cost-to-Charge Ratio

Austin's cost-to-charge ratios are alarmingly low — which means extremely high markups. South Austin Medical Center's ratio of 0.09 means charges are roughly 11x actual costs. North Austin Medical Center at 0.10 and Round Rock Medical Center at 0.08 (12.5x costs) are similar.

These ratios reflect HCA Healthcare's for-profit model and Texas's lack of hospital pricing regulation. Austin residents pay some of the highest hospital markups in the state.

Price Transparency

Transparency in Austin is limited. Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals in Round Rock leads with 80 priced procedures. Scott & White Hospital - Round Rock publishes 21. Most St. David's facilities have minimal published pricing data, making it harder to comparison shop.

Best Value Hospitals in Austin

Best quality: St. David's Medical Center — Austin's only 5-star hospital
Best 4-star option: South Austin Medical Center — 4-star with 21,554 annual discharges
Highest volume: North Austin Medical Center — 27,439 discharges, handling the most patients in the metro
Best suburban: Round Rock Medical Center — 3-star serving the fast-growing Williamson County
Best specialty: Heart Hospital of Austin — 3-star cardiac specialty center

Price Comparison: Common Procedures in Austin

Lab work (CBC, metabolic panel): $15–$250 depending on facility
CT scans: $400–$4,500 in the Austin metro
MRI: $500–$5,000+ — freestanding imaging centers offer 50–70% savings
ER visits: Facility fees from $600 at urgent care–style ERs to $2,500+ at major hospitals

Compare real prices using Taven's price comparison tool.

Austin Hospital System Overview

St. David's HealthCare (HCA) — Dominates Austin with St. David's Medical Center (5-star), South Austin (4-star), North Austin (3-star), Round Rock (3-star), and the Heart Hospital. For-profit with significant markups but the highest CMS ratings in the metro.
Ascension Seton — Operates Dell Seton Medical Center at UT, the region's only Level I trauma center and teaching hospital. Partners with Dell Medical School at UT Austin. Check CMS ratings separately as they may be listed under different names.
Baylor Scott & White — Growing presence with Scott & White Hospital - Round Rock. Nonprofit system expanding into the Austin market from its central Texas base.
CommUnityCare Health Centers — Federally qualified health centers serving the uninsured and underinsured across Travis County.

Austin's Healthcare Boom

Austin's population has grown over 30% since 2010, and hospital capacity hasn't kept pace. The opening of Dell Medical School at UT Austin in 2016 brought academic medicine to the city for the first time. Dell Seton Medical Center serves as the teaching hospital. Meanwhile, St. David's (HCA) continues to dominate market share with its five-hospital network.

Tips for Choosing a Hospital in Austin

St. David's Medical Center is the quality leader. Austin's only 5-star hospital — worth considering for planned procedures.
Markups are extreme across the board. All Austin hospitals charge 10–12x actual costs. Compare prices aggressively.
Use Taven's comparison tool with Austin data before scheduled procedures.
Consider Dell Seton for trauma and complex care. As a Level I trauma center and teaching hospital, it offers capabilities others don't.
Freestanding ERs are expensive. Austin has many freestanding emergency rooms that charge hospital-level facility fees. Urgent care is often a better option.
Texas has limited patient protections. Unlike some states, Texas has fewer surprise billing protections. Know your patient rights.
Ask about charity care — even for-profit hospitals must offer some financial assistance.
Get a Good Faith Estimate before any planned procedure.
Review your bill. Use our free bill review tool to catch errors and overcharges.

How We Rank Hospitals

Our rankings use CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings, cost-to-charge ratios from CMS cost reports, and price transparency compliance data. We don't accept advertising from hospitals. Learn more about our methodology.