NabeWise

Austin/South River City

37fit

South River City

Official planning area: South River City

Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · APD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM Aug 2026 · updated Sep 2026

Travis Heights oaks on the east side of Congress. Porches, hills, and a walk to the lake.

travis heightssouth congresssoco

Best in Austin for familiesWalkable AustinUnder $2,500 rent

Why this score

Safety
32

13 violent · 225 property · 46.3 per 1k (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)-18 vs city set

Schools
77

Rating 8.1 / 10 nearby+23 vs city set

Walk
9

OSM: 6 groceries · 4 cafes · 23 transit · 12 parks-9 vs city set

Cost
100

$1,894 ACS median vs your rent budget+3 vs city set

Vibe
7

OSM: 4 cafes · 24 restaurants · 5 bars · 12 parks-7 vs city set

Commute to work

From South River City, a typical weekday is 17 min to Downtown, 24 min to UT campus, 39 min to The Domain. Not live traffic.

Downtown is the fastest of these three job centers from here.

Downtown
17 min

Rainey, Sixth, Capitol · -3 min vs the city-set median · fastest of these three

UT campus
24 min

Forty Acres · +4 min vs the city-set median

The Domain
39 min

North Burnet tech · +13 min vs the city-set median

Minutes are baked from neighborhood geography to three job centers — not Google, not this hour’s traffic.

Cost of living

ACS median gross rent is $1,894 across all occupied rental units — studios through large apartments mixed together, not a live 1-bed or 2-bed quote.

That is 19% of median household income — under the 30% HUD cost-burden line. A household at this area’s median income ($120K) could “afford” about $2,988 a month at 30% of gross pay.

57% of households rent. Median home value is $1,118,895.

ACS median rent
$1,894
30% income budget
$2,988
Rent / income
19%
Median home
$1,118,895

HUD treats 30% of gross household income as the cost-burden line. We do not split ACS median rent into 1-bed vs 2-bed — that table is all occupied rental units. Method.

Within a walk

Inside the official planning area or within 800 meters of its centroid, OpenStreetMap maps 6 groceries, 4 cafes, 12 parks, and 23 transit stops.

A grocery run on foot is possible; some trips will still need a ride. Parks are close — 12 mapped parks in that radius. Transit is dense (23 stops or stations).

4 cafes and 24 restaurants make this one of the busier food pockets in the Austin set.

Counts from OpenStreetMap, 800 m. Not a Walk Score license. Groceries here beat 15 of 19 other areas in this city set.

Population
5,140
Median age
36.6
Median income
$120K
Renters
57%
Bachelor+
78%
Violent / 1k
2.5
Property / 1k
43.8

ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024) · 2 census tracts · APD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM 2026-08-31

WaterfrontFamily streets

Crime is APD Part I reports per 1,000 ACS residents — not a judgment of who lives here. Home and rent figures are ACS medians, not live MLS. Read the method.

On the ground

What it is like to live here, beyond the scores.

South River City is the official name; Travis Heights is what people search. Live oaks, hills, and 1920s houses on the east side of Congress, with a walk down to the lake. It is Bouldin’s calmer twin: same south-central gravity, more porches, fewer souvenir shops on your block.

The hills are not a metaphor — errands can be a climb, and parking on festival weekends backs up from the trail. Schools and trees lead the scores. Nightlife is next door on Congress, not on your porch, which is why people pay for it.

Compiled from Zillow neighborhood guides, 5280 Magazine, Chicago and San Francisco resident guides, Mpls With Love, Eastside LA reporting, and local coverage, 2025–2026. Editorial — not part of the fit score.

Common questions

Answers from the same ACS, crime, and OSM figures on this page.

Is South River City safe?

On this map South River City has a higher Part I rate than most Austin Neighborhood Planning Areas in the set (safety 32 vs city 50). APD logged 2.5 violent and 43.8 property incidents per 1,000 ACS residents — 46.3 combined. Rates mix residents and visitors. They are not a judgment of who lives here.

What is rent in South River City?

ACS median rent is $1,894. Median home value is $1,118,895. About 57% of households rent. These are survey medians, not this week's listings.

Is South River City walkable?

Walk scores 9 here vs 18 for the Austin set — you will likely drive or ride for daily errands. OpenStreetMap counts within 800 meters: 6 groceries, 4 cafes, 23 transit stops, 12 parks.

Is South River City good for families?

The scores lean family-friendly relative to this city set. Nearby school rating is 8.1 / 10. Median age is 36.6.

How long is the commute from South River City?

Typical weekday minutes to Downtown: 17. Not live traffic. Open the neighborhood page for the other job centers in Austin.

How many people live in South River City?

About 5,140 residents, median income $120K, 78% with a bachelor's or higher. ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024) · APD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM.

What neighborhoods are next to South River City?

Closest on this map: Bouldin Creek, South Lamar, Zilker. Compare South River City vs Bouldin Creek if you are deciding between two official planning areas.

Next door

Adjacent on the planning area map, ranked with your weights.

South River City vs Bouldin CreekSouth River City vs South LamarSouth River City vs Zilker

71fit

Downtown

$3K median rent

Rainey, Sixth, and the warehouse blocks live here. Highest walk score, highest nightlife, and a crime rate inflated by visitors.

NightlifeWalk 100Safety 0
46fit

Zilker

$2K median rent

Park first, houses second. Barton Springs and the trail set the pace; prices follow the shade.

WaterfrontFamily streetsWalk 9Safety 74
43fit

Bouldin Creek

$2K median rent

West of South Congress: cottages, food trailers, and the SoCo strip on the doorstep.

NightlifeWalk 28Safety 21
35fit

South Lamar

$2K median rent

The corridor south of the river: retail, apartments, and a faster pulse than Barton Hills.

Walk 11Safety 42
31fit

Govalle

$2K median rent

Further east, still in the city. More yard, fewer bars, a value contrast to Cesar Chavez.

Family streetsWalk 16Safety 26
Hyde PkZilkerMuellerE. CesarAllandaleBouldinS. RiverDowntownOld WestRosedaleCrestviewBrentwoodS. LamarE. CentralDomainWindsorBarton H.HancockN. LoopGovalleLady Bird LakeI-35