Austin/Compare
Bouldin Creek vs Downtown
Bouldin Creek and Downtown are two official planning areas in Austin. Bouldin Creek is the calmer Part I map (21 vs 0). Downtown wins the errand count. Bouldin Creek has the lower ACS median ($1,915).
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 | Bouldin Creek | Downtown |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 21 | 0 |
| Schools | 60 | 0 |
| Walk | 28 | 100 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 92 |
| Vibe | 20 | 100 |
| Median rent | $1,915 | $2,714 |
| Median home | $1,023,538 | $631,696 |
| Population | 6,205 | 10,850 |
| Commute to Downtown | 12 min | 6 min |
| Commute to UT campus | 18 min | 11 min |
| Commute to The Domain | 33 min | 26 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Bouldin Creek | Downtown |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 58% | 60% |
| Median age | 36 | 44.2 |
| Median income | $126K | $158K |
| Part I per 1k | 54.0 | 173.7 |
| Groceries / 800m | 8 | 19 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 50 | 82 |
| Parks / 800m | 14 | 38 |
| 311 last 14 days | 199 | 473 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Austin city. Up 71% since 2014. Bouldin is 11% above the 2024 city median. Downtown is 57% 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 Bouldin Creek if the school rating nearby is the point and the rent gap is the point. Schools score 60 vs 0. ACS median rent is $1,915 vs $2,714. Safety is 21 vs 0. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Downtown if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 100 vs 20. Walk is 100 vs 28. 6 vs 12 minutes to Downtown. Read both pages before you decide.
Bouldin Creek
West of South Congress: cottages, food trailers, and the SoCo strip on the doorstep.
$1,915 median rent · safety 21 · walk 28
Downtown
Rainey, Sixth, and the warehouse blocks live here. Highest walk score, highest nightlife, and a crime rate inflated by visitors.
$2,714 median rent · safety 0 · walk 100
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Bouldin Creek or Downtown?
Bouldin Creek is the lower ACS median: $1,915 vs $2,714. About 58% rent in Bouldin Creek vs 60% in Downtown. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Bouldin Creek more walkable than Downtown?
Downtown wins the errand count (walk 28 vs 100). Groceries inside 800 meters: 8 vs 19. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Bouldin Creek or Downtown?
Bouldin Creek is the calmer Part I read (21 vs 0). Combined rate 54.0 vs 173.7 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Bouldin Creek or Downtown?
Bouldin Creek leads the school axis (60 vs 0). Nearby rating is 7.6 / 10 vs 5.8 / 10. Median age 36 vs 44.2. Downtown has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
12 minutes from Bouldin Creek to Downtown, 6 from Downtown. Downtown is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning area that is not Bouldin Creek or Downtown: South River City. Travis Heights oaks on the east side of Congress. Porches, hills, and a walk to the lake.
Bouldin Creek vs South River CityDowntown vs South River City
Scores are relative among official Austin Neighborhood Planning Areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.