Austin/Compare
Bouldin Creek vs Zilker
Bouldin Creek and Zilker are two official planning areas in Austin. Zilker is the calmer Part I map (74 vs 21). Bouldin Creek 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 | Zilker |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 21 | 74 |
| Schools | 60 | 93 |
| Walk | 28 | 9 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 20 | 15 |
| Median rent | $1,915 | $2,175 |
| Median home | $1,023,538 | $1,006,854 |
| Population | 6,205 | 10,882 |
| Commute to Downtown | 12 min | 17 min |
| Commute to UT campus | 18 min | 22 min |
| Commute to The Domain | 33 min | 35 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Bouldin Creek | Zilker |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 58% | 64% |
| Median age | 36 | 34.4 |
| Median income | $126K | $132K |
| Part I per 1k | 54.0 | 35.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 8 | 4 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 50 | 24 |
| Parks / 800m | 14 | 5 |
| 311 last 14 days | 199 | 172 |
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. Zilker is 26% 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 you want the errands on foot and the rent gap is the point. Walk is 28 vs 9. ACS median rent is $1,915 vs $2,175. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Zilker if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 74 vs 21. Schools score 93 vs 60. Zilker is tagged family on this map; Bouldin Creek is not. 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
Zilker
Park first, houses second. Barton Springs and the trail set the pace; prices follow the shade.
$2,175 median rent · safety 74 · walk 9
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Bouldin Creek or Zilker?
Bouldin Creek is the lower ACS median: $1,915 vs $2,175. About 58% rent in Bouldin Creek vs 64% in Zilker. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Bouldin Creek more walkable than Zilker?
Bouldin Creek wins the errand count (walk 28 vs 9). Groceries inside 800 meters: 8 vs 4. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Bouldin Creek or Zilker?
Zilker is the calmer Part I read (74 vs 21). Combined rate 35.4 vs 54.0 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Bouldin Creek or Zilker?
Zilker leads the school axis (93 vs 60). Nearby rating is 8.6 / 10 vs 7.6 / 10. Median age 34.4 vs 36. Bouldin Creek 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, 17 from Zilker. Bouldin Creek is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning area that is not Bouldin Creek or Zilker: South River City. Travis Heights oaks on the east side of Congress. Porches, hills, and a walk to the lake.
Scores are relative among official Austin Neighborhood Planning Areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.