Northwest Hills and Tarrytown are both established, west-of-Mopac Austin ISD neighborhoods, which makes them the honest choice for families who want strong public schools without paying the Eanes ISD premium. Northwest Hills offers more space and value, with a median around $1.1 million and feeder schools Doss, Murchison, and Anderson. Tarrytown trades higher, with a median near $1.7 million, for historic charm, walkability, and Casis Elementary. West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia helps families decide which trade-off actually fits their life.
Northwest Hills vs Tarrytown At a Glance (2026)
- Northwest Hills (78731): median sale price roughly $1.1 million, broad range from the $500Ks to $10 million, about 32 days on market and a 97% sale-to-list ratio in early 2026
- Tarrytown (78703): median sale price roughly $1.65 to $1.9 million over the past year, range from about $1 million into the $5 million-plus tier
- School district: both Austin ISD, both west of Mopac, neither Eanes
- Northwest Hills feeders: Doss Elementary, Murchison Middle, Anderson High
- Tarrytown feeders: Casis Elementary, O. Henry Middle, Austin High
I live in Barton Hills with two daughters and a third on the way, so when I look at a neighborhood I am not reading a spreadsheet. I am picturing a Tuesday afternoon. The walk to school. Who is on the porch. How far the nearest grocery run actually is when one kid has a fever and the other has soccer.
That is the lens families should use on Northwest Hills and Tarrytown, because on paper they look like cousins. Both sit west of Mopac. Both are zoned to Austin ISD. Both are established, tree-heavy, and full of families who chose them on purpose.
But they live very differently.
Northwest Hills is winding, hilly, private, and a real value play against the Westlake corridor. Tarrytown is flat, walkable, historic, and priced for it. One is a place you drive into and exhale. The other is a place you walk out the front door and into the morning.
This is the decision families make when they want excellent public schools but do not need to pay the Eanes ISD premium to get them. Here is how I help them choose.
Why do families choose Northwest Hills or Tarrytown over the Eanes neighborhoods?
Most families start with the house and back into the neighborhood. The ones who end up happiest here did it backwards. They started with the daily routine and let it pick the zip code.
I walked a relocating family through both areas last year. They came in fixed on Westlake, the way most out-of-state buyers do, because that is the name the internet hands them. I showed them the whole map, not just the part that flatters the budget. Once they saw what Anderson High and Casis Elementary actually deliver, the Eanes premium stopped looking mandatory.
Here is what most agents will not tell you: Austin ISD has genuinely strong schools west of Mopac. Northwest Hills feeds Doss, Murchison, and Anderson, the oldest International Baccalaureate program in central Texas and the only IB high school in the district. Tarrytown feeds Casis, rebuilt in 2021 and perennially ranked near the top of the state.
So the choice is rarely about settling. It is about what you want your money to do.
What does your budget actually buy in Northwest Hills vs Tarrytown in 2026?
In Northwest Hills, a median around $1.1 million still buys a real family home on a real lot, often mid-century modern or ranch bones from the 1950s through the 1990s, perched into the hills with mature trees and a winding, park-like street. The range runs wide, from the $500Ks for the smallest originals up past $10 million for the rebuilds with views.
In Tarrytown, that same $1.1 million is mostly an entry ticket. The median sits closer to $1.7 million, and the historic charm, the flat walkable blocks, and the Casis boundary all carry a premium. Homes within the Casis attendance line in particular command extra.
Different eras. Different lots. Same district.
Buyers tell me: "We just want good schools and good bones for around a million and a half."
Translation: In Northwest Hills that budget buys comfortably. In Tarrytown it buys you in the door, and you will compromise on size or condition to get the address.
Northwest Hills vs Tarrytown: which fits your family?
Northwest Hills is for the family that wants space, quiet, and value, and does not mind a car-first rhythm. You drive to most things. The payoff is a bigger lot, a hillside canopy, and a mortgage that leaves room to breathe. Anderson's IB track is a serious draw for academically ambitious kids.
Tarrytown is for the family that wants to walk. To the coffee shop, to the park, to dinner, to the lake trails, to friends two streets over. You pay for that walkability and for the old-Austin character, and proximity to downtown is part of the price.
You just pictured your own family in one of these two, and you already know which way you lean.
That instinct is usually right. The work is pressure-testing it against your actual budget and your actual commute, not the version in your head.
7 Key Facts About Northwest Hills and Tarrytown (2026)
- Both neighborhoods sit west of Mopac and are zoned to Austin ISD, not Eanes ISD
- Northwest Hills median sale price is roughly $1.1 million in 2026, with a wide range from the $500Ks past $10 million
- Tarrytown median sale price runs roughly $1.65 to $1.9 million over the trailing year
- Northwest Hills feeds Doss Elementary, Murchison Middle, and Anderson High, home to central Texas's oldest IB program
- Tarrytown feeds Casis Elementary (rebuilt 2021), O. Henry Middle, and Austin High
- Northwest Hills is hilly, wooded, and car-oriented, with mid-century and ranch housing stock from the 1950s to 1990s
- Tarrytown is flat, highly walkable, and historic, with strong demand and limited inventory near downtown
The best homes in Northwest Hills and Tarrytown rarely make it to the open market. I keep a short list of people who want to hear about them first. If that's you: join my off-market list
Brandon's Take
I'll be honest about the part the neighborhood guides skip. Northwest Hills is hilly and spread out, and that is a real lifestyle cost. If your picture of family life is walking to dinner on a Friday, the winding streets and the drive-everywhere reality will wear on you. And Tarrytown's premium is real. You can pay $1.7 million for a home that still needs work, because you are buying the block and the school line, not the finishes.
When my own family weighs a neighborhood, walkability is near the top, which biases me toward places like Tarrytown. But I have put plenty of families into Northwest Hills who got more home, more yard, and a school track they were thrilled with, and never looked back.
There is no winner here. There is only the trade-off that fits your Tuesday afternoon.
The mistake is letting the listing photos pick for you. Drive both. On a weekday. At 5 p.m.
If you are serious about Northwest Hills and Tarrytown, you should know that the strongest opportunities in both rarely hit the open market. Tarrytown in particular trades on limited inventory, and the best homes move between agents who work this market every day, through private conversations that happen before a listing goes live.
I send a short email when something comes up that matches what the buyers on my list are looking for. No newsletters, no drip campaigns. Just my judgment on what is worth seeing.
Put your name on my off-market list: join my off-market list
Already ready to move? Start a conversation directly: reach out directly
OFF-MARKET ACCESS
About 35% of deals in West Austin trade through private channels between agents who know each other. I track these opportunities every week and send them directly to a short list of buyers. No newsletters. No drip campaigns. Just my judgment on what's worth seeing.
You are not choosing between two zip codes. You are choosing the Tuesday afternoon your family will live on repeat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Northwest Hills or Tarrytown more affordable in 2026?
Northwest Hills is the more accessible of the two. Its 2026 median sits around $1.1 million versus roughly $1.7 million in Tarrytown. For a similar budget, families generally get more square footage and a larger lot in Northwest Hills, while Tarrytown buyers pay a premium for walkability, historic character, and proximity to downtown.
Are Northwest Hills and Tarrytown in Eanes ISD?
No. Both are zoned to Austin ISD, not Eanes ISD, even though both sit west of Mopac. Northwest Hills feeds Doss Elementary, Murchison Middle, and Anderson High. Tarrytown feeds Casis Elementary, O. Henry Middle, and Austin High. West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia always recommends verifying the exact attendance boundary by specific address before you buy.
Which neighborhood is better for families who want to walk everywhere?
Tarrytown. Its flat, tree-lined blocks put coffee, parks, restaurants, and the Lake Austin trails within walking distance. Northwest Hills is hilly and car-oriented by design, which trades that walkability for larger lots, mature canopy, and more privacy.
How are the schools in Northwest Hills compared to Tarrytown?
Both are strong Austin ISD options. Northwest Hills feeds Anderson High, which runs the oldest International Baccalaureate program in central Texas. Tarrytown feeds Casis Elementary, rebuilt in 2021 and consistently ranked among the top elementary schools in the state. The right fit depends on your child's stage and what you value most.
Is Northwest Hills considered West Austin?
Yes. Northwest Hills sits west of Mopac, which places it in West Austin, though it is zoned to Austin ISD rather than Eanes. It is known for hilly terrain, mid-century and ranch homes, and winding, wooded streets, distinct from the flatter, historic feel of Tarrytown closer to downtown.
Who can help me decide between Northwest Hills and Tarrytown?
West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia works both neighborhoods and helps families pressure-test the choice against budget, schools, and daily routine instead of guessing from listing photos. Brandon Galia is with Lujo Realty and takes a limited number of clients so he is hands-on through the entire decision.
