Austin/Compare
Barton Hills vs South Lamar
Barton Hills and South Lamar are two official planning areas in Austin. Barton Hills is the calmer Part I map (63 vs 42). South Lamar wins the errand count. South Lamar has the lower ACS median ($1,686).
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 | South Lamar |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 63 | 42 |
| Schools | 100 | 37 |
| Walk | 5 | 11 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 6 | 6 |
| Median rent | $1,820 | $1,686 |
| Median home | $1,107,160 | $562,634 |
| Population | 8,721 | 7,635 |
| Commute to Downtown | 25 min | 21 min |
| Commute to UT campus | 29 min | 27 min |
| Commute to The Domain | 41 min | 40 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Barton Hills | South Lamar |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 74% | 82% |
| Median age | 36.1 | 32.3 |
| Median income | $92K | $79K |
| Part I per 1k | 38.8 | 43.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 4 | 4 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 16 | 43 |
| Parks / 800m | 18 | 6 |
| 311 last 14 days | 128 | 95 |
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. S. Lamar is 2% below 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 school rating nearby is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Schools score 100 vs 37. Safety is 63 vs 42. Barton Hills is tagged family on this map; South Lamar is not. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick South Lamar if the rent gap is the point. ACS median rent is $1,686 vs $1,820. Read both pages before you decide.
Barton Hills
Hills west of Zilker. Quiet streets, trail access, and a car for most errands.
$1,820 median rent · safety 63 · walk 5
South Lamar
The corridor south of the river: retail, apartments, and a faster pulse than Barton Hills.
$1,686 median rent · safety 42 · walk 11
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Barton Hills or South Lamar?
South Lamar is the lower ACS median: $1,820 vs $1,686. About 82% rent in South Lamar vs 74% in Barton Hills. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Barton Hills more walkable than South Lamar?
South Lamar wins the errand count (walk 5 vs 11). Groceries inside 800 meters: 4 vs 4. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Barton Hills or South Lamar?
Barton Hills is the calmer Part I read (63 vs 42). Combined rate 38.8 vs 43.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Barton Hills or South Lamar?
Barton Hills leads the school axis (100 vs 37). Nearby rating is 8.8 / 10 vs 6.9 / 10. Median age 36.1 vs 32.3. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
25 minutes from Barton Hills to Downtown, 21 from South Lamar. South Lamar is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning area that is not Barton Hills or South Lamar: 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.