48fit
#1Brentwood
$2K median rent
Bungalows between Crestview and Hyde Park. Slightly more cafes than Allandale, slightly less polish than Rosedale.
Family streetsWalk 19Safety 89
Austin/Guides
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 vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · APD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM Aug 2026 · updated Sep 2026
The ranking
Ten official areas. Same order for every reader. Fit is a Austin number 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 median rent
North-central lawns and a quieter night. You will drive more; you will hear less.
Family streetsWalk 10Safety 100
Stuck between these two? Allandale vs Zilker
46fit
#3Zilker
$2K median rent
Park first, houses second. Barton Springs and the trail set the pace; prices follow the shade.
WaterfrontFamily streetsWalk 9Safety 74
Stuck between these two? Zilker vs Crestview
46fit
#4Crestview
$2K median rent
North central, Red Line adjacent, with a younger mix than Allandale next door.
Family streetsWalk 13Safety 95
Stuck between these two? Crestview vs Central East Austin
45fit
#5Central East Austin
$2K median rent
East of I-35, north of Cesar Chavez. Rapid change, strong food, mixed housing, and a walk to downtown.
NightlifeWalk 29Safety 58
Stuck between these two? Central East Austin vs Hyde Park
44fit
#6Hyde Park
$2K median rent
Streetcar bungalows, porches, and a grocery you can walk to. The classic first stop for people who want central without downtown noise.
Family streetsWalk 9Safety 84
Stuck between these two? Hyde Park vs Bouldin Creek
43fit
#7Bouldin Creek
$2K median rent
West of South Congress: cottages, food trailers, and the SoCo strip on the doorstep.
NightlifeWalk 28Safety 21
Stuck between these two? Bouldin Creek vs Rosedale
42fit
#8Rosedale
$1K median rent
Medical-center adjacent, walkable groceries, and a calmer read than Hyde Park on a Saturday night.
Family streetsWalk 4Safety 68
Stuck between these two? Rosedale vs Barton Hills
42fit
#9Barton Hills
$2K median rent
Hills west of Zilker. Quiet streets, trail access, and a car for most errands.
WaterfrontFamily streetsWalk 5Safety 63
Stuck between these two? Barton Hills vs Mueller
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.