Austin/Compare
Central East Austin vs Crestview
Central East Austin and Crestview are two official planning areas in Austin. Crestview is the calmer Part I map (95 vs 58). Central East Austin wins the errand count. Crestview has the lower ACS median ($1,921).
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 | Central East Austin | Crestview |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 58 | 95 |
| Schools | 13 | 57 |
| Walk | 29 | 13 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 21 | 7 |
| Median rent | $2,472 | $1,921 |
| Median home | $671,103 | $640,200 |
| Population | 5,612 | 6,227 |
| Commute to Downtown | 17 min | 21 min |
| Commute to UT campus | 19 min | 15 min |
| Commute to The Domain | 29 min | 12 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Central East Austin | Crestview |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 63% | 55% |
| Median age | 32.5 | 34.9 |
| Median income | $110K | $104K |
| Part I per 1k | 41.7 | 30.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 6 | 7 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 56 | 26 |
| Parks / 800m | 18 | 18 |
| 311 last 14 days | 124 | 97 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Austin city. Up 71% since 2014. E. Central is 43% above the 2024 city median. Crestview is 11% 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 Central East Austin if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 21 vs 7. Walk is 29 vs 13. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Crestview if the school rating nearby is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Schools score 57 vs 13. Safety is 95 vs 58. ACS median rent is $1,921 vs $2,472. Read both pages before you decide.
Central East Austin
East of I-35, north of Cesar Chavez. Rapid change, strong food, mixed housing, and a walk to downtown.
$2,472 median rent · safety 58 · walk 29
Crestview
North central, Red Line adjacent, with a younger mix than Allandale next door.
$1,921 median rent · safety 95 · walk 13
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Central East Austin or Crestview?
Crestview is the lower ACS median: $2,472 vs $1,921. About 55% rent in Crestview vs 63% in Central East Austin. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Central East Austin more walkable than Crestview?
Central East Austin wins the errand count (walk 29 vs 13). Groceries inside 800 meters: 6 vs 7. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Central East Austin or Crestview?
Crestview is the calmer Part I read (95 vs 58). Combined rate 30.1 vs 41.7 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Central East Austin or Crestview?
Crestview leads the school axis (57 vs 13). Nearby rating is 7.5 / 10 vs 6.2 / 10. Median age 34.9 vs 32.5. Central East Austin has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
17 minutes from Central East Austin to Downtown, 21 from Crestview. Central East Austin is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning area that is not Central East Austin or Crestview: Hyde Park. Streetcar bungalows, porches, and a grocery you can walk to. The classic first stop for people who want central without downtown noise.
Scores are relative among official Austin Neighborhood Planning Areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.