Austin/Compare
North Loop vs Windsor Park
North Loop and Windsor Park are two official planning areas in Austin. North Loop is the calmer Part I map (84 vs 37). Windsor Park wins the errand count. Windsor Park has the lower ACS median ($1,614).
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 | North Loop | Windsor Park |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 84 | 37 |
| Schools | 40 | 23 |
| Walk | 6 | 14 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 3 | 0 |
| Median rent | $1,681 | $1,614 |
| Median home | $949,700 | $529,050 |
| Population | 2,865 | 15,698 |
| Commute to Downtown | 21 min | 24 min |
| Commute to UT campus | 15 min | 19 min |
| Commute to The Domain | 12 min | 19 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | North Loop | Windsor Park |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 70% | 62% |
| Median age | 33.6 | 36.4 |
| Median income | $95K | $88K |
| Part I per 1k | 34.2 | 44.3 |
| Groceries / 800m | 4 | 6 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 28 | 49 |
| Parks / 800m | 1 | 7 |
| 311 last 14 days | 147 | 156 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Austin city. Up 71% since 2014. N. Loop is 3% below the 2024 city median. Windsor is 7% 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 North Loop if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 84 vs 37. Schools score 40 vs 23. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Windsor Park if you want the quieter, family-leaning read and you want the errands on foot. Windsor Park is tagged family on this map; North Loop is not. Walk is 14 vs 6. Read both pages before you decide.
North Loop
Vintage shops and renters just north of Hyde Park. Smaller lots, louder weekends.
$1,681 median rent · safety 84 · walk 6
Windsor Park
Northeast of Mueller. More house for the money, fewer cafes, a straight shot down Airport Blvd.
$1,614 median rent · safety 37 · walk 14
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, North Loop or Windsor Park?
Windsor Park is the lower ACS median: $1,681 vs $1,614. About 62% rent in Windsor Park vs 70% in North Loop. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is North Loop more walkable than Windsor Park?
Windsor Park wins the errand count (walk 6 vs 14). Groceries inside 800 meters: 4 vs 6. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, North Loop or Windsor Park?
North Loop is the calmer Part I read (84 vs 37). Combined rate 34.2 vs 44.3 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, North Loop or Windsor Park?
North Loop leads the school axis (40 vs 23). Nearby rating is 7.0 / 10 vs 6.5 / 10. Median age 33.6 vs 36.4. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
21 minutes from North Loop to Downtown, 24 from Windsor Park. North Loop is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning area that is not North Loop or Windsor Park: 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.