Austin/Compare
Central East Austin vs Hancock
Central East Austin and Hancock are two official planning areas in Austin. Central East Austin is the calmer Part I map (58 vs 47). Central East Austin wins the errand count. Hancock has the lower ACS median ($1,572).
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 | Hancock |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 58 | 47 |
| Schools | 13 | 47 |
| Walk | 29 | 9 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 21 | 1 |
| Median rent | $2,472 | $1,572 |
| Median home | $671,103 | $813,537 |
| Population | 5,612 | 10,191 |
| Commute to Downtown | 17 min | 9 min |
| Commute to UT campus | 19 min | 7 min |
| Commute to The Domain | 29 min | 22 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Central East Austin | Hancock |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 63% | 73% |
| Median age | 32.5 | 29.7 |
| Median income | $110K | $77K |
| Part I per 1k | 41.7 | 43.0 |
| Groceries / 800m | 6 | 4 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 56 | 39 |
| Parks / 800m | 18 | 7 |
| 311 last 14 days | 124 | 142 |
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. Hancock is 9% 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 Central East Austin if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 29 vs 9. Vibe is 21 vs 1. Safety is 58 vs 47. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Hancock if the rent gap is the point and the school rating nearby is the point. ACS median rent is $1,572 vs $2,472. Schools score 47 vs 13. 9 vs 17 minutes to Downtown. 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
Hancock
Between campus and Hyde Park. Golf course, student spillover, and a short walk to the Forty Acres.
$1,572 median rent · safety 47 · walk 9
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Central East Austin or Hancock?
Hancock is the lower ACS median: $2,472 vs $1,572. About 73% rent in Hancock vs 63% in Central East Austin. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Central East Austin more walkable than Hancock?
Central East Austin wins the errand count (walk 29 vs 9). Groceries inside 800 meters: 6 vs 4. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Central East Austin or Hancock?
Central East Austin is the calmer Part I read (58 vs 47). Combined rate 41.7 vs 43.0 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Central East Austin or Hancock?
Hancock leads the school axis (47 vs 13). Nearby rating is 7.2 / 10 vs 6.2 / 10. Median age 29.7 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, 9 from Hancock. Hancock is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning area that is not Central East Austin or Hancock: Mueller. A planned town on the old airport: alleys, a lake loop, and a grocery at the center. Newer bones, family default.
Scores are relative among official Austin Neighborhood Planning Areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.