Austin Neighborhoods: An Overview

Do you prefer the city or the suburbs? Urban or rural country? House with a spacious yard or cozy neighborhood apartment/condo?

Depending on which neighborhood you choose, you could end up in any of these situations and still call yourself an Austinite. Factor in price differences and the personality/culture of each neighborhood, and you have a lot of options to pick from.

To begin, we’ll divide the city into central, south, north, east, and west.

Central

Central Austin is, more or less, anything north of the river (Lady Bird Lake), east of Mopac, west of I-35, and south of highway 183. These four boundary lines create a box that includes all downtown Austin, the University of Texas, and a substantial ways north of the university campus. Central Austin also includes a high percentage of Austin’s trendy restaurants and bars.

Thanks to its proximity to local attractions, culture, and the university, central Austin tends to be the most expensive part of the city. Some of the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods, such as Tarrytown, Bryker Woods, Rosedale, Enfield, and Clarksville are in the rolling hills near Mopac, with easy access to the university and downtown.

Of course, central Austin also includes downtown — if you’re willing to deal with the traffic and parking situation (or forego a car altogether) you can rent an apartment or condo in one of the downtown high-rises.

North of the university, you find Hyde Park, Allandale, Crestview, and Brentwood. These neighborhoods are mostly quiet streets with houses built in the 1950s and 60s. They tend to be more expensive than the suburbs, but are still attractive to families and students who want to live close to the city.

South

South Austin contains everything south of the river, east of Mopac, and west of I-35. However, this region is more accurately divided into two categories — the 78704 and everything south of highway 290.

The 78704 is the zip code in between highway 290 and the river, and Mopac and I-35. It’s home to SoCo (South Congress), South 1st, South Lamar, as well as Zilker Park, the Long Center, and Barton Creek. The 78704 is one of the trendiest parts of Austin, and is filled with art galleries and good restaurants. It’s also, as might be expected, one of the more expensive parts of Austin. This area includes the neighborhoods Bouldin Creek and Barton Hills.

Further south, things become far less trendy. The neighborhoods south of highway 290/71 are more suburb-like, but also far more affordable and very comfortable, with easy access to the 78704 area. This area includes the neighborhoods Cherry Creek, Slaughter Creek, Tanglewood, and Circle C, amongst others.

North

North Austin begins at 183, and it extends up into Pflugerville, Round Rock, and Cedar Park. This area is less expensive than central, east, or the 78704; however, it’s also a further commute into the trendier parts of the city, if that’s important to you. Culturally, north Austin is similar to the neighborhood south of 290/71, though the houses also tend to be older in north Austin. North Austin is a great place for those who want comfort and affordability, not adventure, in their homes. North Austin includes neighborhoods such as Wells Branch, Scofield Farms, North Burnet, Balcones Woods, Milwood, St. John, and many others.

East

East Austin covers everything east of I-35, north of the river, and south of 290 (the one up north — not the same as 290/71). The Easternmost-boundary loosely ends at 183S. This is one of the less expensive regions, though like the rest of the city, it is growing and gentrifying. It has historically been the most economically-disadvantaged region, but today is a hodgepodge of old, worn-down buildings and newly-built condos. East Austin is growing fast, as many people try to get in on the neighborhoods before it gets too expensive.

Along with its growing trendiness, the region is home to a number of popular restaurants and art galleries. East Austin is quickly becoming a competitor to the trendy 78704 area in south Austin. East Austin includes neighborhoods such as Rosewood, Rainey Street, Upper Boggy Creek, Pleasant Valley, and more.

West

West Austin is basically everything west of Mopac, extending all the way to Lake Travis. Given its location in the beautiful central Texas hill country (and inclusion of the lake), it’s not surprising that west Austin is the wealthiest region of the city. Houses here are large and have property. The landscape is beautiful — roads twist through the hills, and many turns reveal beautiful views of trees and water. West Austin doesn’t have the urban trendiness of the 78704 or East Austin, but instead it has a natural beauty and a decadent feel.

Venture outside these five regions, and you really get into other towns — Pflugerville, Round Rock, and Cedar Park to the north, Manor to the east, Buda to the south, and Lakeway to the West. These are all close enough that you can reside there and commute into Austin if needed, though traffic does become more of an issue at that point.

But regardless of what you’re looking for, the diversity of Austin is sure to provide it! Whichever area fits your needs, Austin Moving Forward can help you get there.