Austin/Compare
Old West Austin vs Zilker
Old West Austin and Zilker are two official planning areas in Austin. Zilker is the calmer Part I map (74 vs 53). Zilker wins the errand count. Zilker has the lower ACS median ($2,175).
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 | Old West Austin | Zilker |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 53 | 74 |
| Schools | 83 | 93 |
| Walk | 0 | 9 |
| Cost fit | 97 | 100 |
| Vibe | 5 | 15 |
| Median rent | $2,590 | $2,175 |
| Median home | $1,303,800 | $1,006,854 |
| Population | 6,543 | 10,882 |
| Commute to Downtown | 20 min | 17 min |
| Commute to UT campus | 20 min | 22 min |
| Commute to The Domain | 29 min | 35 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Old West Austin | Zilker |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 60% | 64% |
| Median age | 40.5 | 34.4 |
| Median income | $152K | $132K |
| Part I per 1k | 42.3 | 35.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 2 | 4 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 14 | 24 |
| Parks / 800m | 9 | 5 |
| 311 last 14 days | 106 | 172 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Austin city. Up 71% since 2014. Old West is 50% 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 Old West Austin if you already want this pocket more than the table. Zilker leads the numbered axes on this page.
Pick Zilker if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the rent gap is the point. Safety is 74 vs 53. ACS median rent is $2,175 vs $2,590. Vibe is 15 vs 5. Read both pages before you decide.
Old West Austin
Clarksville cottages west of downtown. Close to the lake trail, quieter than Rainey, priced like it.
$2,590 median rent · safety 53 · walk 0
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, Old West Austin or Zilker?
Zilker is the lower ACS median: $2,590 vs $2,175. About 64% rent in Zilker vs 60% in Old West Austin. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Old West Austin more walkable than Zilker?
Zilker wins the errand count (walk 0 vs 9). Groceries inside 800 meters: 2 vs 4. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Old West Austin or Zilker?
Zilker is the calmer Part I read (74 vs 53). Combined rate 35.4 vs 42.3 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Old West Austin or Zilker?
Zilker leads the school axis (93 vs 83). Nearby rating is 8.6 / 10 vs 8.3 / 10. Median age 34.4 vs 40.5. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
20 minutes from Old West Austin to Downtown, 17 from Zilker. Zilker is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official planning area that is not Old West Austin or Zilker: Rosedale. Medical-center adjacent, walkable groceries, and a calmer read than Hyde Park on a Saturday night.
Scores are relative among official Austin Neighborhood Planning Areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.