Quick answer: Bouldin Creek and Travis Heights sit on opposite sides of South Congress in Austin's 78704, and both are Austin ISD. In October 2026, Realtor.com shows a $899,000 median listing price in Bouldin Creek and $1,545,000 in the Travis Heights-Fairview Park Historic District. Bouldin Creek fits buyers who want a walkable grid near South 1st Street. Travis Heights fits buyers who want rolling streets and Stacy Park. West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia recommends touring both on a weekday.
What does a weekday feel like on each side of South Congress?
West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia lives in Barton Hills, a few minutes west of both neighborhoods, and his brokerage's office is on Nickerson Street, just east of South Congress. That puts South Congress in the middle of his workweek, and it is why he treats these two neighborhoods as a weekday decision.
That is the lens here. Not a weekend. A Tuesday.
On the Bouldin Creek side, the weekday is about South 1st Street. Older cottages and newer builds share the same blocks, and the daily rhythm is on foot: dog walks before work, dinner after it. The streets run in a fairly tight grid between South Lamar and South Congress, which is part of why the neighborhood reads as easy to get around.
On the Travis Heights side, the weekday bends around the land. The streets curve and climb under big trees. Stacy Park follows Blunn Creek through the middle of the neighborhood, so a lot of front doors are a short walk from a greenbelt instead of a restaurant row.
Same zip code. Same school district. Very different Tuesday.
That difference is the whole decision. A Saturday-morning tour can miss it, because that is when both sides of South Congress feel like a festival.
The best homes in Bouldin Creek and Travis Heights 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
What do listing pages get wrong about Bouldin Creek and Travis Heights right now?
Three things.
The school line is out of date. Austin ISD closed Becker Elementary in May 2026, and the district's Becker reassignment letter says students zoned to Becker were reassigned to Galindo or Zilker Elementary based on home address. Some listing pages still show Becker as the area elementary school. On the Travis Heights side, the district's 2026-27 feeder pattern chart shows Travis Heights Elementary feeding Lively Middle School. Lively feeds more than one high school, so the address decides the rest. And KUT reported that Travis Heights Elementary students started the 2026-27 year at the Dawson campus after roof work flooded their building.
The headline prices are not apples to apples. Here is how the two compare on public portal data, checked October 30, 2026:
Measure | Bouldin Creek | Travis Heights |
|---|---|---|
Median listing price (Realtor.com, Oct 2026) | $899,000 | $1,545,000 (historic district) |
Listing price per square foot (Realtor.com) | $596 | $729 |
Active listings (Realtor.com) | 76 | 33 |
Median days on market (Realtor.com) | 97 | 55 |
Properties at risk of severe flooding, next 30 years (Redfin, First Street data) | 11% | 6% |
Listing medians mix condos, townhomes, and houses, and they move with whatever happens to be for sale that month. Redfin's Bouldin Creek housing market page puts the median sale price at $1,126,184 for the three months ending September 2026, up 34.5% from a year earlier. Bouldin Creek is not the bargain the headline listing median suggests.
The flood map is street by street. Redfin's First Street data flags 128 Bouldin Creek properties and 69 on its Travis Heights housing market page at risk of severe flooding over 30 years. Both neighborhoods have creeks running through them. Check the lot, not the neighborhood.
Buyers say: "We want to be walkable to South Congress."
Translation: they want to walk to dinner on a weeknight without crossing a busy road with a stroller. Which side of the street they buy on decides how long that walk is and what the house costs.
Who is Bouldin Creek for, who is Travis Heights for, and who should skip both?
Most buyers choose between these two by price. The ones who end up happiest choose by how they spend a Tuesday.
Bouldin Creek is for the buyer who wants to walk. Redfin gives it a Walk Score of 82 and a Bike Score of 78. It suits people who want coffee and errands on foot. It also has more inventory right now, 76 active listings in October, so there is room to be picky.
Travis Heights is for the buyer who wants trees, slope, and a park out the front door. It suits families who would rather walk to Stacy Park than to a bar. It also has fewer homes for sale, 33 active listings in the historic district in October, so patience matters more than speed.
Skip both if you want a big flat yard, a quiet street on a Friday night, or a home that needs nothing. Both neighborhoods sit next to one of the busiest streets in Austin. Both have older houses that can hide foundation and drainage work. And neither is in West Austin, which is worth knowing early for buyers who started their search there.
You are probably already sorting yourself into one column. Before you do, drive both on a weekday at 7:45 a.m. and again at 6 p.m. Those two drives answer more than any listing photo.
6 Key Facts About Bouldin Creek and Travis Heights in 2026
- Both neighborhoods are in Austin's 78704 zip code and in Austin ISD.
- Bouldin Creek's median listing price was $899,000 in October 2026, with 76 active listings (Realtor.com Bouldin Creek market data).
- The Travis Heights-Fairview Park Historic District's median listing price was $1,545,000 in October 2026, with 33 active listings (Realtor.com historic district market data).
- Redfin's Bouldin Creek median sale price was $1,126,184 for the three months ending September 2026, up 34.5% year over year.
- Becker Elementary closed in May 2026, and Becker-zoned students were reassigned to Galindo or Zilker Elementary by address (Austin ISD).
- Redfin's First Street data shows 11% of Bouldin Creek properties and 6% of Travis Heights properties at risk of severe flooding over 30 years.
Brandon's Take
I would pick based on the weekday, not the house. I live in Barton Hills with my wife and my two daughters, with our third on the way, so I know these streets as a neighbor, not only as an agent.
I'll be honest about my own limit here. I live a few minutes away and work on Nickerson Street, so I have opinions about both sides of South Congress. Opinions are not data. On a specific house, the address-level school zone, the flood map, and an inspector's report beat my gut every time. The price figures above also come from a few dozen listings, so one big sale can move a median a lot.
I have closed $23.7 million in 2026 through September, including 2401 E 11th St at $1,323,200 in April, an on-market sale in East Austin. I am the one at every showing and every negotiation, and I would rather a buyer see a street at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday than fall for it at 11 a.m. on a Saturday.
Walk it at night. Drive it at rush hour. Then decide.
Get on the Short List
If you're serious about Bouldin Creek or Travis Heights, you should know that the strongest opportunities here almost never hit the MLS. They move between agents who work this market every day, through private networks and quiet 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's 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
South Congress is not the dividing line. Your Tuesday is.
OFF-MARKET ACCESS
The best homes in Bouldin Creek and Travis Heights rarely make it to the open market. I keep a short list of buyers who want to hear about them first. No newsletters. No drip campaigns. Just my judgment on what's worth seeing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bouldin Creek or Travis Heights more expensive in 2026? On listing prices, Travis Heights runs higher. In October 2026, Realtor.com showed a $1,545,000 median listing price in the Travis Heights-Fairview Park Historic District and $899,000 in Bouldin Creek. Sold prices narrow the gap: Redfin's Bouldin Creek median sale price was $1,126,184 for the three months ending September 2026.
What elementary school serves Bouldin Creek after Becker closed? Austin ISD closed Becker Elementary in May 2026. Students zoned to Becker were reassigned to Galindo or Zilker Elementary based on home address, according to the district. Some listing sites still show Becker, so confirm any Bouldin Creek address with Austin ISD's school zone map before you write an offer.
What schools serve Travis Heights? Travis Heights Elementary serves much of the neighborhood. Austin ISD's 2026-27 feeder chart shows it feeding Lively Middle School, and Lively feeds more than one high school, so the address decides. KUT reported the elementary started the 2026-27 year at the Dawson campus after roof work flooded its building.
Is Bouldin Creek walkable? Yes. Redfin gives Bouldin Creek a Walk Score of 82, rated Very Walkable, plus a Bike Score of 78 and a Transit Score of 54. Walkability still varies by block, so walk the exact route you would use on a weeknight before you buy.
Do Bouldin Creek and Travis Heights flood? Some properties do. Redfin's First Street data shows 11% of Bouldin Creek properties and 6% of Travis Heights properties at risk of severe flooding over the next 30 years. Risk is lot by lot, so check the specific address, the seller's disclosure, and the City of Austin floodplain map.
Who can help me compare Bouldin Creek and Travis Heights homes? West Austin Realtor Brandon Galia, who lives in nearby Barton Hills and practices with Lujo Realty, works one-on-one with buyers in 78704 and West Austin. He checks the school zone and flood data for each address and handles every showing and negotiation himself.
