Downtown Austin is a neighborhood that is bounded by Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Lady Bird Lake, Interstate 35 and Lamar Boulevard. Downtown Austin is Austin's primary business district. Because of this area’s population density, it is considered an urban neighborhood. Real estate prices in Downtown Austin are much higher than average for both the state and the nation.

Reputation

Downtown Austin has a large population of college students, as well as young, single people. In fact, more than 28 percent of this neighborhood's residents are currently enrolled in college and nearly 60 percent are between the ages of 18 and 29. Many of the people in this neighborhood live alone. Residents of Downtown Austin have a higher-than-average income. Those that are not in college are more likely to be executives, managers or other professionals. Downtown Austin is hip, trendy and offers an active nightlife.

Hot Spots

Downtown Austin offers many diversions to keep both residents and visitors entertained at all times. Because of its high concentration of young residents, this neighborhood is home to a large number of bars and night clubs. Some of the most popular establishments are located on 6th Street and in the Warehouse District. The Paramount Theater and Moody Theater are in the area for art lovers to enjoy. You’ll also find endless restaurants and shops to keep you busy during the day.

Safety

Although Downtown Austin is an exciting neighborhood, it experiences more crime than most other neighborhoods in the United States. On average, Downtown Austin experiences 25 violent crimes and 229 property crimes each year. This translates to 5.53 violent crimes per one thousand residents and 50.69 property crimes per one thousand residents annually. These rates are higher than the averages for the city of Austin as a whole, as well as for all neighborhoods in the country. Specifically, the average violent crime rate for the city of Austin is only 4.00 per thousand residents and the national average violent crime rate is only 3.8 per one thousand residents annually. The average property crime rate for the city of Austin is 48.46 per thousand residents and the national average property crime rate is 27.3 per one thousand residents annually.

Convenience

The layout of Downtown Austin is conducive to walking, so many of the residents of this neighborhood travel on foot. However, around half of residents still use a vehicle to get from one place to another. Many people in this neighborhood also use bicycles as a mode of transportation.

Types Of Homes

More than half of the residences in Downtown Austin are apartments. About one-third of the homes in this neighborhood are single-family homes. The sizes of these residences range dramatically from studio to more than five bedrooms. The value of homes in this neighborhood is considerably higher than the average for Texas and the rest of the United States at $548,552.