FY2023 data · Public Plans Database

Austin Fire

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, and 23-year financial history for Austin Fire, sourced from the Public Plans Database (Boston College CRR) and cross-checked against actuarial valuations.

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By · · Texas · Police & Fire Plan · Data through FY2023

Funded Ratio: 62.7% (Under-funded) Austin Fire funded ratio compared to national public pension benchmark. FUNDED RATIO 62.7% Under-funded Nat'l avg 75.49869791666667% 0% 60 70 80 100% Healthy > 80% · At-risk 70-80% · Critical < 60%
Austin Fire funded ratio is 62.7 percent, classified as Under-funded. National public-pension benchmark is 75.49869791666667 percent.
Funded ratio
62.7%
Health grade
CReported funded ratio below full funding
Market assets
$1.16B
Members
2,277

According to the Public Plans Database, compiled by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research, Austin Fire is one of 197 public pension plans tracked nationwide. The plan card reports FY2023 valuation figures; the multi-year table includes FY2024 where PPD published it; this site’s database copy was last loaded in July 2026. See our methodology for the full source and update cadence.

Unfunded Liability

$693M

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

2,277

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

12.7%

net investment return

6.1pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

6.6%

annualized, net of fees

How Austin Fire Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 62.7%
National avg

A ratio of 62.7% compared against the national public-pension average of 75.5%.

Healthy Threshold

Plans above 80% are generally considered adequately funded by NASRA standards.

Participant Composition

Participants: 1.2K active, 995 retired, 0 separated Plan participant breakdown showing active workers, retirees, and separated-vested members. PARTICIPANT MIX 2.3K total members 55% 44% Active 1.2K Retired 995 Separated 0 Active-to-Retiree 1.25 · Transitioning
Plan participant breakdown: 1.2K active workers, 995 retirees, 0 separated-vested members. Sustainability rating: Transitioning.

The active-to-retiree ratio is a leading indicator of long-term plan sustainability, plans with more retirees than active contributors face mounting cash-flow pressure as benefit payments outpace incoming contributions.

Investment Policy Mix

Asset Allocation: 55% equity, 25% fixed income, 17% alternatives Austin Fire investment policy mix as reported in its CAFR and actuarial valuation. ASSET ALLOCATION $1.2B market assets · CAFR / actuarial valuation 55% 25% 17% Equity 55.0% Fixed Inc. 25.0% Alternatives 17.0% Cash 3.0% Investment Stance: Growth-Tilted · Equity + Alts 72%
Austin Fire asset allocation: 55% equity, 25% fixed income, 17% alternatives, 3% cash. Investment stance: Growth-Tilted.

Public pension plans report their asset allocation in their annual CAFR and actuarial valuation. Equity-heavy mixes capture market upside but introduce volatility; fixed-income tilts protect funded status during downturns at the cost of long-run return.

Historical Funded Ratio

Year Funded Ratio
2024 63.9%
2023 62.7%
2022 62.0%
2021 62.2%
2020 59.2%
2019 61.8%
2018 62.0%
2017 63.0%
2016 63.7%
2015 63.3%
2014 64.3%
2013 63.5%
2012 61.6%
2011 61.6%
2010 62.4%
2009 60.5%
2008 62.5%
2007 74.2%
2006 73.2%
2005 77.0%

What the Data Says About Austin Fire

Austin Fire reports a funded ratio of 62.7% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of C in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $1.16B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $693M. As a Police & Fire plan operating under Texas sponsorship, it covers 2,277 members (1,246 active contributors, 995 retirees drawing benefits).

Austin Fire is funded above the midpoint but still carries a real shortfall, 13 points below the 75.5% national average across tracked plans. A 5-year average investment return of 6.6% factors into the plan's overall trajectory.

For Texas taxpayers and plan members, the $693M unfunded gap is the actuarial shortfall this plan must close over time.

Where this data comes from + how funding gaps get resolved

These figures come from the Public Plans Database, a collaboration between the Boston College Center for Retirement Research and NASRA that compiles them from each plan's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFRs) and actuarial valuations. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether an unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year, and the gap itself is typically closed through some combination of higher contributions, investment returns, or benefit modifications. See our methodology for how public-pension funding differs from ERISA-backed private plans, and our disclaimer below before acting on this data.

Membership

1,246
Active Members
995
Retirees
2,277
Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type
Police & Fire
State
Texas
Market Assets
$1.16B
Source: Public Plans Database (PPD)
Boston College CRR / NASRA

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Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Austin Fire fully funded?

Austin Fire has a funded ratio of 62.7% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of C. A funded ratio compares actuarial assets with actuarial accrued liabilities at a reporting date. A value of 100% means those two reported values are equal; it does not forecast benefits, taxes, or investment performance.

What happens if Austin Fire runs out of money?

Austin Fire is a public plan in Texas. PlainPension reports the source data and does not determine a plan's legal protections, contribution policy, or future benefit decisions.

What does a funded ratio of 62.7% mean?

A funded ratio of 62.7% means that Austin Fire currently has assets equal to 62.7% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability, the gap between assets and liabilities, stands at $693M. This represents a moderate funding gap that requires ongoing monitoring.

How does Austin Fire compare to other public pensions?

Austin Fire is a Police & Fire plan in Texas serving 2,277 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 75.5%. Austin Fire's funded ratio of 62.7% places it below the national average, indicating elevated fiscal pressure.

How many members does Austin Fire have?

Austin Fire covers 2,277 total members, including 1,246 active employees and 995 retirees currently receiving benefits. The ratio of active members to retirees is a key indicator of plan sustainability, when the number of retirees grows relative to active contributors, funding pressure increases.

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Data sourced from official Public Plans Database and actuarial valuations from federal and state pension systems. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainPension

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Public Plans Database (PPD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sources used on this page
  • Public Plans Database (PPD) - funded ratios, assets, liabilities, and member counts for US state and local public pension plans, maintained by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research with MissionSquare Research Institute and NASRA. publicplansdata.org
  • NASRA - National Association of State Retirement Administrators public-pension actuarial and policy references. nasra.org

Every figure on PlainPension is rendered directly from the Public Plans Database (Boston College Center for Retirement Research), no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this plan's funded ratio, unfunded liability, and multi-year financial history, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.