48fit
#1Brentwood
$2K ACS median rent
Bungalows between Crestview and Hyde Park. Slightly more cafes than Allandale, slightly less polish than Rosedale.
- Walk index
- 19
- Safety index
- 89
- Published fit
- 48
Family streets
Austin neighborhoods with median rent under $2,500
Every official Austin Neighborhood Planning Areas whose ACS median rent still sits at or under $2,500. Then we rank what’s left. A median is not this week’s one-bedroom.
First we drop every official planning area whose ACS median rent is over $2,500. Then we rank what is left like the walkable list. The cut is five years of survey mixed across unit sizes — not the one-bedroom in the window.
10 of 20
Data period. ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024) · APD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM Aug 2026. ACS and APD retrieved 2026-08-31; OSM retrieved 2026-08-31. Editorial copy last revised Sep 2026.
The ranking
Top 10 of 20 official Neighborhood Planning Areas. Same order for every reader. Fit is a number inside Austin only.
| # | Neighborhood | Fit | Rent | Schools | Safety | Walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brentwood | 48 | $1,662 | 63 | 89 | 19 |
| 2 | Allandale | 47 | $1,741 | 73 | 100 | 10 |
| 3 | Zilker | 46 | $2,175 | 93 | 74 | 9 |
| 4 | Crestview | 46 | $1,921 | 57 | 95 | 13 |
| 5 | Central East Austin | 45 | $2,472 | 13 | 58 | 29 |
| 6 | Hyde Park | 44 | $1,681 | 80 | 84 | 9 |
| 7 | Bouldin Creek | 43 | $1,915 | 60 | 21 | 28 |
| 8 | Rosedale | 42 | $1,469 | 90 | 68 | 4 |
| 9 | Barton Hills | 42 | $1,820 | 100 | 63 | 5 |
| 10 | Mueller | 41 | $2,015 | 87 | 5 | 20 |
Stuck between these two? Brentwood vs Allandale
47fit
#2Allandale
$2K ACS median rent
North-central lawns and a quieter night. You will drive more; you will hear less.
- Walk index
- 10
- Safety index
- 100
- Published fit
- 47
Family streets
Stuck between these two? Allandale vs Zilker
46fit
#3Zilker
$2K ACS median rent
Park first, houses second. Barton Springs and the trail set the pace; prices follow the shade.
- Walk index
- 9
- Safety index
- 74
- Published fit
- 46
WaterfrontFamily streets
Stuck between these two? Zilker vs Crestview
46fit
#4Crestview
$2K ACS median rent
North central, Red Line adjacent, with a younger mix than Allandale next door.
- Walk index
- 13
- Safety index
- 95
- Published fit
- 46
Family streets
Stuck between these two? Crestview vs Central East Austin
45fit
#5Central East Austin
$2K ACS median rent
East of I-35, north of Cesar Chavez. Rapid change, strong food, mixed housing, and a walk to downtown.
- Walk index
- 29
- Safety index
- 58
- Published fit
- 45
Nightlife
Stuck between these two? Central East Austin vs Hyde Park
44fit
#6Hyde Park
$2K ACS median rent
Streetcar bungalows, porches, and a grocery you can walk to. The classic first stop for people who want central without downtown noise.
- Walk index
- 9
- Safety index
- 84
- Published fit
- 44
Family streets
Stuck between these two? Hyde Park vs Bouldin Creek
43fit
#7Bouldin Creek
$2K ACS median rent
West of South Congress: cottages, food trailers, and the SoCo strip on the doorstep.
- Walk index
- 28
- Safety index
- 21
- Published fit
- 43
Nightlife
Stuck between these two? Bouldin Creek vs Rosedale
42fit
#8Rosedale
$1K ACS median rent
Medical-center adjacent, walkable groceries, and a calmer read than Hyde Park on a Saturday night.
- Walk index
- 4
- Safety index
- 68
- Published fit
- 42
Family streets
Stuck between these two? Rosedale vs Barton Hills
42fit
#9Barton Hills
$2K ACS median rent
Hills west of Zilker. Quiet streets, trail access, and a car for most errands.
- Walk index
- 5
- Safety index
- 63
- Published fit
- 42
WaterfrontFamily streets
Stuck between these two? Barton Hills vs Mueller
41fit
#10Mueller
$2K ACS median rent
A planned town on the old airport: alleys, a lake loop, and a grocery at the center. Newer bones, family default.
- Walk index
- 20
- Safety index
- 5
- Published fit
- 41
Family streetsPlanned
Common questions
Same list, said in questions. The numbers are in the table.
What does this Austin ranking actually measure?
Who still has an ACS median rent at or under $2,500, then who walks better among those. It is not a list of apartments you can rent tonight.
Why is Brentwood #1?
Brentwood survives the $2,500 ACS cut at $1,662 and then ranks on walk (19 vs 10 in Allandale). Allandale is $1,741 — still under the line.
How is this different from the walkable list?
Same errand weights as the walkable list, then a hard cut at $2,500 ACS median rent. If the median is over the line, the area never shows up — even if it walks well.
Why isn't Old West Austin on this list?
Old West Austin never enters. ACS median rent is $2,590, over the $2,500 line, so the ranking never sees it. That line is a survey median, not this week’s asking rent.
Can I compare an Austin score to another city?
No. Hyde Park in Austin is not Hyde Park in Chicago. A 72 here is a rank inside this city’s official Neighborhood Planning Areas, not a grade you can carry across a state line.
What does rent mean on this list?
ACS median gross rent among these 10 areas runs $1,469 to $2,472. Five-year survey, studios through large apartments mixed together — not a listing you can message tonight.
Everyone sees this order so the list is arguable. Set your own weights · Method.