HELPP!!Can anyone tell me a safe place to live in Austin, Tx?

We are relocating to Austin but are unfamiliar with the area. We have 6 kids so we need a safe place to live. Also what side of town is affordable?Please help, we are running out of time!

Central Austin is not a very cheap place to buy a house...if you are looking to purchase a home and are looking for something affordable...try south Austin(south of Oltorf-probably). South Austin is pretty hip. Also, I assume that you want a good school district with 6 kids...south Austin schools are getting better and better as it continues to be a popular place to live. You could also look north towards Round Rock for an affordable home...however, that area feels like a distant suburb or Austin and is not as cool.

If you are renting...I would still suggest south Austin...but, try looking in Hyde Park, Clarksville, Westlake, Travis Heights, or Tarrytown...to name a few. These are very centrally located, hip Austin neighborhoods that are very safe and pretty. They are generally very expensive, but, you can get lucky and find an affordable rental from time to time.... and if you did, the schools in these neighborhoods are great and they are wonderful places to live.

Austin is a great place to live and overall, very safe! I wish your family luck!

-kango traveler

You want to try to stay north of the river and west of I 35. We recently moved to Avery Ranch in NW Austin - great school district, LOW crime (if any). Also, Steiner Ranch in SW Austin is great, and with really good schools.

Just stay away from the east side! Also, downtown is way too expensive!

Dude all these people sayin stay away from the East Side are weak as hell. First off, its the fast growing in property values than ANY of Austin including downtown. Maybe you guys should read up or actually drive down here. I live of MLK and Airport got my 3 bedroom house with backyard for under $180,000 two years ago and now is worth almost double that. People who talk trash about the Eastside are all yuppie people who are scared of the minorities over here. But you know what this is a good spot where people are legit. Never any major crime issues. If you can still get in on it this is the spot to put your money and make it work for you.

With six kids you want the schools within close proximity of each other - Travis Heights has all 3 within a mile of each other. There is a park in the center of Travis Heights with a pool open year round. All schools are within walking distance and they are good schools. It is a quaint neighborhood with older and newer homes. Sometimes you can get a good deal but then nothing is cheap in Austin anymore. I lived in a 4 bedroom house in Travis Heights for $350/month for years until they sold it. But Travis Heights is near downtown, South Congress (free party first Tues or Thurs of each month and the SoCo district. You have to stay south of the river. I never locked my doors. Try it, y'all will like it, I guarantee.

Austin as a whole is generally a safe place. Areas to watch out for are some parts of the Eastside, particularly around 12th and Chicon streets, the area south of the river and east of IH-35, and the vicinity of North Lamar Blvd and Rundberg Lane.

You will get more house for your money in the suburbs than in central Austin. With six kids you're probably looking for a larger house. Affordable areas with large homes include Round Rock, Leander, Cedar Park and Pflugerville to the north, Manor to the east, and Buda and Kyle to the south. Round Rock and Cedar Park both have good schools. These areas are separate cities, not part of the City of Austin. Each one is about a 30-45 minute drive from central Austin. Within the City of Austin try looking around the Wells Branch area, in South Austin south of Ben White Blvd, or in northwest Austin near the Arboretum. Good Luck!

Definetly North West Austin, Near Anderson Mill, Canyon Creek or Riverplace (just next to the 3M) You are not far from lake Travis and not next to the busy and bustling I-35 but your also not to far away. 183 is most likley going to be your city acess road. It is the fastest way to get downtown and it continues to the beach, it also continues to Nebraska if you go North. I recomeend not going to South Austin of expecially South East. East is ok but its in a diffrent county. Oh, and Northwest is close to RoundRock (one of the safest cities in america)!

Austin is generally a pretty safe. I recommend the suburbs of Cedar Park, Round Rock, Leander, NW Austin, Avery Ranch.