Hometown Glory
3 Austin neighborhoods amble past others as the most walkable in Texas
A lot has been said about traffic in Texas, but we rarely give as much thought to getting around here on foot. Redfin remedied that by taking a look at the Walk Scores for major Texas cities and chatting with real estate agents to determine the most walkable neighborhoods in Texas, and Austin makes a strong showing.
Downtown Austin nabs second place overall. The neighborhood has a Walk Score of 88 thanks largely to recent programs like the Great Streets project, which spiffed up public spaces along the roadways, updated sidewalks, put in ample lighting for night-time activities, and encouraged streetside cafes to give residents easy access to the heart of the city. That, frankly, sounds like the state’s most walkable neighborhood.
West Campus ranks third, with a Walk Score of 87. Most of the 'hood's 15,000 students are without cars, writes Redfin, so it's a good thing all those coffee shops and bars are in proximity.
East Austin, with a Walk Score of 81, ranks the eighth best. "This neighborhood is full of interesting shops, bars, restaurants, stores and public spaces in close proximity to the quiet residential streets," says Redfin agent Lauren Johnson.
Three areas in Dallas (downtown, Oak Lawn, and Knox/Henderson); two in Houston (Midtown and Neartown/Montrose); and one each in San Antonio (downtown) and El Paso (Virginia) complete the top 10.
Downtown Dallas struts its stuff as the most walkable of them all.