Northwest Hills

Welcome to Northwest Hills

Prescient developers, who predicted that fast-growing Austin would soon expand to the northwest, gradually snapped up the more than 2,500 acres in the hilly terrain that would eventually become Northwest Hills. With breathtaking panoramas and easy access to Mopac and 360, two of the city’s main thoroughfares, it has become a densely populated residential refuge.

The dozen of subdivisions tucked into the limestone mesas and glens between Mopac and Lake Austin sprang up between the fifties and the eighties, solidifying this neighborhood as a commuter’s paradise.

Zip Code: 78731

MLS Area: 1A

Population: 18,176

Founded: 1952

School District: Austin ISD

Most homes built between: 1980 and 1989

Average Household Income: $134,203

Time to Downtown: 14 minutes

Time to Airport: 29 minutes

What to Expect

Power joggers and cyclists make use of the many long, steep roads that wind through Northwest Hills. Many of the homes back up to wooded canyons, resulting in frequent appearances of deer, armadillos, and other critters.

The Lifestyle

Though you’re away from the action of downtown, there are plenty of neighborhood-sustaining businesses, largely along Far West Boulevard, a main artery. You’ll find plenty of good dining options as well, from elegant multi-course meals at Chez Zee to barbecue at the County Line.

Unexpected Appeal

What Northwest Hills lacks in pocket parks and playscapes, it makes up for in verdant protected areas, like Bull Creek, where Austinites like to cool off in the summers, and Bright Leaf Preserve, a little-known gem that offers monthly guided hikes.

The Market

Students and young professionals populate the condos, townhomes, and apartment complexes right around Far West Boulevard, but as you drive deeper into the neighborhood, it’s all low-slung ranch-style houses and vertical Tuscan villas. A number of properties are dramatically set into the limestone cliffs.

You'll Fall in Love With

One of Austin’s must-see natural landmarks is Mount Bonnell, a 775-foot-high outcrop that looms above Lake Austin. Though it requires a little effort to scale (there are both steps and a sloped trail), the jaw-dropping views are worth it, particularly if you time your visit to watch one of the sherbet-hued Texas sunsets.