Austin/Compare
Barton Hills vs Old West Austin
Barton Hills and Old West Austin are two official planning areas in Austin. Barton Hills is the calmer Part I map (63 vs 53). Barton Hills wins the errand count. Barton Hills has the lower ACS median ($1,820).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · APD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM Aug 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official Austin Neighborhood Planning Areas.
| Axis | Barton Hills | Old West Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 63 | 53 |
| Schools | 100 | 83 |
| Walk | 5 | 0 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 97 |
| Vibe | 6 | 5 |
| Median rent | $1,820 | $2,590 |
| Median home | $1,107,160 | $1,303,800 |
| Population | 8,721 | 6,543 |
| Commute to Downtown | 25 min | 20 min |
| Commute to UT campus | 29 min | 20 min |
| Commute to The Domain | 41 min | 29 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Barton Hills | Old West Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 74% | 60% |
| Median age | 36.1 | 40.5 |
| Median income | $92K | $152K |
| Part I per 1k | 38.8 | 42.3 |
| Groceries / 800m | 4 | 2 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 16 | 14 |
| Parks / 800m | 18 | 9 |
| 311 last 14 days | 128 | 106 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Austin city. Up 71% since 2014. Barton H. is 5% above the 2024 city median. Old West is 50% above the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Barton Hills if the rent gap is the point and the school rating nearby is the point. ACS median rent is $1,820 vs $2,590. Schools score 100 vs 83. Safety is 63 vs 53. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Old West Austin if you already want this pocket more than the table. Barton Hills leads the numbered axes on this page.
Barton Hills
Hills west of Zilker. Quiet streets, trail access, and a car for most errands.
$1,820 median rent · safety 63 · walk 5
Old West Austin
Clarksville cottages west of downtown. Close to the lake trail, quieter than Rainey, priced like it.
$2,590 median rent · safety 53 · walk 0
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Barton Hills or Old West Austin?
Barton Hills is the lower ACS median: $1,820 vs $2,590. About 74% rent in Barton Hills vs 60% in Old West Austin. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Barton Hills more walkable than Old West Austin?
Barton Hills wins the errand count (walk 5 vs 0). Groceries inside 800 meters: 4 vs 2. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Barton Hills or Old West Austin?
Barton Hills is the calmer Part I read (63 vs 53). Combined rate 38.8 vs 42.3 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Barton Hills or Old West Austin?
Barton Hills leads the school axis (100 vs 83). Nearby rating is 8.8 / 10 vs 8.3 / 10. Median age 36.1 vs 40.5. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
25 minutes from Barton Hills to Downtown, 20 from Old West Austin. Old West Austin is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning area that is not Barton Hills or Old West Austin: Zilker. Park first, houses second. Barton Springs and the trail set the pace; prices follow the shade.
Scores are relative among official Austin Neighborhood Planning Areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.