The dominant age bracket in the Greater Austin area is 25 to 44 years old. More than 32 percent of the city’s population falls in this bracket, which is also a very common stage of life for starting and raising a family.
As adults embark on the journey of family life, the housing search becomes more complicated. When a home shopper has to account for the well-being of their current or future children, different factors and priorities take center stage.
Young families have many criteria when searching for a family-friendly neighborhood. At the top of that list are nearby amenities with other children in the same age range. Great schools and a safe area with low crime rates are also qualities that make a neighborhood family-friendly. Many families, especially young ones, would also add affordability to that list.
When searching for a family-friendly neighborhood, Care.com recommends you look for a safe area with lots of nearby amenities and other children. Neighborhood Scout adds great schools and low crime rates to the list of qualities that make a neighborhood family-friendly. Many families, especially young ones, would add affordability to that list. Unfortunately, safe neighborhoods with highly rated schools often end up being a expensive place to purchase a home.
Austin has a number of perfect neighborhoods for young families that are certain to meet all of your criteria. Here are some of the best areas organized by zip code.
Zip Code 78746
This zip code encompasses much of western Austin and includes the Rollingwood and West Lake Hills neighborhoods, which have both been recognized as one of the best places in the state of Texas to raise a family.
A quarter of the population in this zip code is under the age of 18. The rates for property and violent crime in the 78746 zip code are below average when compared to the city as a whole, the state, and the country.
The 78746 zip is served by the Eanes Independent School District (EISD). As a district, EISD was granted a 9 out of 10 rating from Great Schools. Eanes also received the highest rating offered by the Texas Education Agency, earning scores far above target in all categories. Many of the district’s schools earned additional distinctions for high performance.
Multiple schools accommodating all ages (elementary, middle, and high schools) in Rollingwood receive an A+ rating from research website Niche. This also true for West Lake Hills.
The 78746 zip has plenty of amenities for keeping a family entertained, including multiple pools, splash pads, and public libraries. As an added bonus, it’s just a short drive across the river from all the entertainment options of downtown Austin.
The prices reflect that this zip code is one of the most ideal for families: Zillow reports that the median sales price for this zip code is right around $1 million.
Zip Code 78613
Zip code 78613 encompasses the Cedar Park area of northern Austin, just to the west of Round Rock.
In a 2016 survey that factored in playgrounds per capita, commute times, and crime rates (among several other factors), WalletHub found that Cedar Park was one of the most family-friendly neighborhoods in the state of Texas. Almost 20 percent of the population in this area is under nine years old—meaning many potential playmates for young children.
Cedar Park is about 17 miles from the heart of downtown Austin. The trip is made simple by several highway systems with speedy toll road options, and a commuter rail so families can reap the benefits of urban life while enjoying the peace of a suburban setting.
One of Cedar Park’s most impressive, family-friendly amenities is the Twin Peaks Country Club. The club stretches across 760 acres and includes a water park and golf club. The Cedar Park area is also home to an abundance of public pools, splash pads, playgrounds, and parks. The southern section of Cedar Park is also a short 10 to 15 minute drive to the shores of beautiful Lake Travis which boasts many family-friendly activities like boating, skiing, and fishing.
School-age kids in the Cedar Park neighborhood are slated for one of two excellent school districts: the Leander Independent School District (LISD) or the Round Rock Independent School District (RRISD).
Most families will be pleased by the plentiful schools in this neighborhood. LISD offers 25 elementary schools, eight middle schools, and seven high schools, almost all of which were provided a score of eight out of ten or above by GreatSchools.org.
As a district, RRISD earned a Great Schools score of eight out of ten. It is larger than the LISD, offering 35 elementary schools, 12 middle schools, and eight high schools. Regardless of your child’s age or your home’s specific district zoning, families with young children are likely to be pleased with the selection of public schools in these neighborhoods.
Compared to the Rollingwood and West Lake Hills neighborhoods, this zip code offers more in terms of affordability. According to Zillow, the median sales price in this zip code is about $305,000.
Zip Code 78757
Also north of downtown, but much closer to the city, is the 78757 zip code. Nearly 20 percent of the population in this zip code is under 18 years old, meaning new residents are likely to find many other children in their neighborhoods.
The 78757 zip code includes the neighborhoods of Allandale, Crest View, and North Shoal Creek. These neighborhoods have generally low crime rates when compared to the rest of the city: crime rates in Allandale, for instance, are 60 percent lower than the city average.
Fun amenities are plentiful in the area, too. In the center of this zip code is the Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park, complete with a public swimming pool, multiple playgrounds, and a duck-filled pond.
Children in this zip code will be zoned for the Austin Independent School District. Gullett Elementary and Lamar Middle Schools in the Allandale neighborhood were highly rated by SchoolDigger.com, and Brentwood Elementary in Crest View also received high ratings.
The median sales price for the 78757 zip code is about $440,000.
Zip Code 78704
For young families who don’t want to trade in the urban lifestyle for a suburban one, the 78704 zip code offers all the fun of South Austin’s city vibe while still providing the qualities of a family neighborhood.
Neighborhoods in this zip include Barton Hills, Travis Heights, Bouldin Creek and South Congress. Most of these neighborhoods are slated for the Austin Independent School District, which includes over 130 schools spread out through the city. As a sample of the school quality on offer in these neighborhoods, Great Schools gave Zilker Elementary a 10 out of 10 score and Barton Hills Elementary earned a nine out of 10.
One of the greatest amenities in this area of Austin is beautiful Zilker Park, an excellent kid-friendly destination at any time of year and home to many great events like the famous Austin City Limits music festival, Zilker Kite Festival, Blues on the Green, and the Trail of Lights. The 350-acre park is home to Lady Bird Lake, where you can rent kayaks, stand up paddle boards and canoes, and the Barton Springs Pool, both providing plenty of water breaks from the summer heat.
The median sales price in this zip code is about $685,000.
A Gradual Return to a Buyer’s Market
The Austin housing market has been a seller’s market for several years, with low levels of housing inventory and low average days on market. While this trend continues to hold true across the Austin area, Brandy Guthrie, President of the Austin Board of REALTORS® reports that the market continues to show signs of normalization.
In these particular zip codes, normalization may be happening sooner than the rest of the city. Zillow reports that the market is currently slanted towards the buyer in many of these neighborhoods. This means that families looking to purchase homes will have above average negotiating power. Whether you have your first child on the way or you’re a seasoned parent veteran, it’s a good time for families to buy a home in Austin.