Neighborhood Guide/ Austin/ South Austin

In the city

South AustinSoCo to Slaughter Lane

Barton Springs, South Congress and the greenbelt close by, with family neighborhoods and bigger yards farther south.

#Greenbelt#South Congress#Family streets

78704Zilker · Travis Heights78745Garrison Park · Westgate78748Shady Hollow · Bauerle Ranch78749Maple Run · Legend OaksI-35Ben WhiteLady Bird LakeZIP areas: U.S. Census ZCTA 2020 · Roads & water: U.S. Census TIGER

School districtAustin ISDFind your zoned school ↗

ZIP codes78704 · 78745 · 78748 · 78749

Walk Score26–63By ZIP · Austin overall: 42

Median sale price$510KJan–Aug 2026 median · Down 1.9% vs 2025 · Unlock MLS

01 — AT A GLANCE

Close-in charm,more space farther south.

WhereLocationSouth of Lady Bird Lake, from Zilker and South Congress down to Slaughter Lane, between MoPac and I-35.

FeelVibe1920s bungalows and live music near South Congress, mid-century ranch homes in the middle, and 1970s–2000s family neighborhoods with bigger yards toward Slaughter.

ForBest forBuyers who want Austin’s classic neighborhoods and greenbelt access, from walkable 78704 to quieter family streets farther south.

02 — HOME PRICES

What homes sell forin South Austin right now.

The Jan–Aug 2026 median compared with last year. Single-month numbers swing with the number of sales.

Median sale · Jan–Aug 2026$510KDown 1.9% vs 2025

Homes sold · Aug 2026167

Price per sq ft · Aug 2026$347

Median days on market · Aug 202641 days

Median sale price by year

2021$535K

2022$595K

2023$539K

2024$530K

2025$520K

2026*$510K

* 2026 is January–August

Median by bedrooms · 2026

2 bed$388K

3 bed$489K

4 bed$635K

Price range — what sold in August 2026 (167 sales)

Under $200K 2%$200–299K 7%$300–399K 22%$400–499K 20%$500–599K 18%$600–699K 11%$700–799K 5%$800–999K 7%$1–1.19M 2%$1.2–1.39M 2%$1.4M+ 4%

PRO TIP

The busiest market on our list. 167 sales in August, the most of any Austin area in this guide, and about 60% landed between $300K and $600K.

ZIP codes included · 78704 · 78745 · 78748 · 78749

Source: Unlock MLS Residential Market Snapshot (South Austin, residential), retrieved Sep 27, 2026. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

03 — NEIGHBORHOODS BY ZIP

Four ZIP codes.From SoCo to Slaughter Lane.

Walkable, historic 78704; mid-century value in 78745; and family neighborhoods in 78748 and 78749. Circle C Ranch (78739) sits just to the southwest.

78704Zilker · Travis HeightsBouldin Creek · Barton Hills · Galindo · South Lamar

1900s–30s bungalows near South Congress, mid-century homes in Barton Hills, and the Barton Creek Greenbelt next door.

WALK SCOREZIP63Bouldin Creek82

78745Garrison Park · WestgateCherry Creek · Sweetbriar · South Manchaca

Mostly 1950s–70s ranch homes on larger lots, with Central Market Westgate and quick access to Ben White.

WALK SCOREZIP47Westgate57

78748Shady Hollow · Bauerle RanchOlympic Heights · Tanglewood Forest · Brodie Springs

Shady Hollow began in 1972 with its own water district; nearby streets are newer family neighborhoods near Mary Moore Searight Park.

WALK SCOREZIP—

78749Maple Run · Legend OaksVillage at Western Oaks · Western Oaks

Family neighborhoods near MoPac and William Cannon, with Bowie High and Circle C next door.

WALK SCOREZIP26Western Oaks22

Walk Score: walkscore.com ZIP and neighborhood pages, Sep 2026 (no ZIP score published for 78748).

04 — SCHOOLS

Strong schools to the south,changes closer in.

Elementary

Barton HillsA

KikerA

MillsA

ZilkerA

BaranoffA

CaseyB

CowanB

PattonB

BooneB

CunninghamB

GalindoB

Travis HeightsC

Middle

SmallA

GorzyckiA

O. HenryB

BaileyB

LivelyC

CovingtonC

High

BowieA

Austin HighA

Ann RichardsAll-girls choiceA

Crockett Early CollegeC

Akins Early CollegeC

Travis Early CollegeD

PRO TIP

Closures changed some zones for 2026–27. Becker, Dawson, Sunset Valley, Bedichek and Paredes closed. Bailey Middle and Galindo Elementary inherited failing-rating histories and must earn a C or better this year. Check each address.

PRIVATE & CHOICESt. Ignatius Martyr Catholic School — PK–8, OltorfSan Juan Diego Catholic High School — South 1stAnn Richards School — all-girls public choice

Ratings: Texas Education Agency 2026 A–F accountability ratings (released Aug 2026). Typical patterns: 78749 → Mills or Patton → Small or Gorzycki → Bowie; Zilker or Barton Hills → O. Henry → Austin High. Zoning varies by address.

Austin ISD school finder ↗

05 — COMMUTE

Minutes to downtownand Oracle.

Approximate drive times from South Lamar & Ben White in normal traffic; add 5–10 minutes from Slaughter Lane. Transit: MetroRapid 801 — South Congress to downtown; MetroRapid 803 — South Lamar to the Domain; Light rail stations planned on South Congress (target 2033).

DowntownDowntown Austin10–20 min

OracleLady Bird Lake campus10–15 min

AirportAustin-Bergstrom15–25 min

TeslaGiga Texas · Southeast20–30 min

AppleNorth Austin campus30–45 min

DellHQ · Round Rock35–50 min

SamsungTaylor fab50–65 min

06 — EVERYDAY LIFE

Springs, trailsand live music.

OutdoorsBarton Springs Pool & Zilker Park, next to 78704 Barton Creek Greenbelt Big Stacy Pool — free, open year-round Mary Moore Searight Park — 344 acres

Music & foodSouth Congress — shops, food, Continental Club Broken Spoke dance hall, open since 1964 South Lamar and South 1st food spots ACL Fest at Zilker every October

GroceriesH-E-B South Congress — rebuilt in 2024 Central Market Westgate Whole Foods Arbor Trails

07 — WHAT’S COMING

Light rail on South Congress,new roads across the south.

Light rail, I-35 and South Lamar upgrades mean years of construction, with better connections afterward.

LIGHT RAIL · SOCOTarget 2033Three stations in 78704Waterfront, SoCo and Oltorf stations, with trains down the center of South Congress. Construction targets 2027.

I-35 CAPITAL EXPRESS SOUTHLate 2028Managed lanes to SH 45 SETwo HOV/managed lanes each way south of Ben White, a $548M project.

SOUTH LAMAR CORRIDOR2026–2029A safer South LamarThe Mary St roundabout is done; the southern segment starts construction in late 2026.

BARTON SPRINGS RD BRIDGELate 2026Bridge replacementA 3–4 year rebuild with lanes kept open, backed by a $32M federal grant.

MOPAC SOUTHUnder studyExpress lanes to SlaughterAn 8.8-mile plan, about $825M, still in environmental review.

SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONTPlanningA new district on the lakeThe City’s plan for about 120 acres south of downtown is due for adoption in late 2026.

Sources: CapMetro/Austin Transit Partnership (2026 FEIS), TxDOT, City of Austin, Community Impact, KXAN (2025–2026). Timelines are as announced and may change.

08 — MELISSA’S PRO TIPS

Buying in South Austin?Know this first.

Aquifer rules, flood maps and event traffic shape life here. Six things we check on every purchase.

Melissa Jung, REALTOR®

PRO TIP

Check the Save Our Springs limits. Over the Barton Springs Zone, impervious cover is capped (15% over the recharge zone, 20% in the Barton Creek watershed). It can limit additions and pools on western lots.

PRO TIP

Look up the flood map. Updated Atlas 14 maps redrew floodplains; Williamson and Onion Creek were priority areas. Check each address in FloodPro.

PRO TIP

Shady Hollow has its own water district. Water and wastewater come from the Shady Hollow MUD, not the City, with its own rates. Ask for recent bills.

PRO TIP

Planning a rental? Know the STR rules. Austin’s 2025 short-term rental rules require a two-year license and a local contact, and platforms now remove unlicensed listings.

PRO TIP

Expect event and construction traffic. ACL Fest, SXSW and years of light-rail and I-35 work affect Zilker, SoCo and Ben White. Drive your routes before you choose.

PRO TIP

File your homestead exemption. Texas raised the school-tax exemption to $140,000 in 2025. File with the Travis Central Appraisal District by April 30.

Sources: City of Austin (watershed rules, FloodPro, short-term rental ordinance), Shady Hollow MUD, Texas Proposition 13 (2025), Community Impact (2025). Event and construction notes are general guidance.

09 — FREE GUIDES

Considering South Austin?

Austin School Guide 2026–27PDF ↓Austin Neighborhoods GuidePDF ↓Resale Home ChecklistPDF ↓

Tour South Austinthis week.

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