Austin/Compare
Mueller vs South River City
Mueller and South River City are two official planning areas in Austin. South River City is the calmer Part I map (32 vs 5). Mueller wins the errand count. South River City has the lower ACS median ($1,894).
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 | Mueller | South River City |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 5 | 32 |
| Schools | 87 | 77 |
| Walk | 20 | 9 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 22 | 7 |
| Median rent | $2,015 | $1,894 |
| Median home | $702,959 | $1,118,895 |
| Population | 9,075 | 5,140 |
| Commute to Downtown | 19 min | 17 min |
| Commute to UT campus | 17 min | 24 min |
| Commute to The Domain | 25 min | 39 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Mueller | South River City |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 54% | 57% |
| Median age | 33.9 | 36.6 |
| Median income | $112K | $120K |
| Part I per 1k | 75.6 | 46.3 |
| Groceries / 800m | 4 | 6 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 28 | 23 |
| Parks / 800m | 43 | 12 |
| 311 last 14 days | 122 | 80 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Austin city. Up 71% since 2014. Mueller is 17% above the 2024 city median. S. River is 10% 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 Mueller if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 22 vs 7. Walk is 20 vs 9. Schools score 87 vs 77. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick South River City if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the rent gap is the point. Safety is 32 vs 5. ACS median rent is $1,894 vs $2,015. Read both pages before you decide.
Mueller
A planned town on the old airport: alleys, a lake loop, and a grocery at the center. Newer bones, family default.
$2,015 median rent · safety 5 · walk 20
South River City
Travis Heights oaks on the east side of Congress. Porches, hills, and a walk to the lake.
$1,894 median rent · safety 32 · walk 9
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Mueller or South River City?
South River City is the lower ACS median: $2,015 vs $1,894. About 57% rent in South River City vs 54% in Mueller. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Mueller more walkable than South River City?
Mueller wins the errand count (walk 20 vs 9). Groceries inside 800 meters: 4 vs 6. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Mueller or South River City?
South River City is the calmer Part I read (32 vs 5). Combined rate 46.3 vs 75.6 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Mueller or South River City?
Mueller leads the school axis (87 vs 77). Nearby rating is 8.4 / 10 vs 8.1 / 10. Median age 33.9 vs 36.6. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
19 minutes from Mueller to Downtown, 17 from South River City. South River City is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning area that is not Mueller or South River City: Central East Austin. East of I-35, north of Cesar Chavez. Rapid change, strong food, mixed housing, and a walk to downtown.
Mueller vs Central East AustinSouth River City vs Central East Austin
Scores are relative among official Austin Neighborhood Planning Areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.