Wooten

The Wooten neighborhood is on the north side of the city of Austin and is bordered by Research Boulevard to the north and West Anderson Lane to the south. It's one of the most affordable neighborhoods in all of Austin with a mix of single family homes, apartments, and townhomes. Single family homes here range from around $150,000 to $275,000. Townhomes can be had for just over $65,000. It's a mix of families, professionals, and students, and is a safe neighborhood to raise a family with a relatively low crime rate.

The neighborhood is close to public transportation options with Capitol Metro, since it is a relatively long drive to the downtown area. This is a community with strong spirit as they have their very own community web page and Facebook page where you can get up to speed on the latest news and happenings. While it is somewhat lacking in entertainment and fine dining options there are Mexican food restaurants, fast food and pizza options, and an Olive Garden on the borders of the neighborhood. Austin Independent School District serves the area and the schools are above average for a mostly lower income area. There are also private schools options available just south of the neighborhood.

In the running for “best value neighborhood in Austin,” Wooten offers a surprisingly good bang for your buck. Quieter and more laid back than more central locations, but still convenient to downtown and everything that has to offer, Wooten is a predominantly middle-class neighborhood with a somewhat unfair reputation for danger.

The community works hard to turn its image around and make the most of the resources it has available. Homeowners keep their homes well maintained, and the schools are surprisingly strong, considering the relatively low income average of the neighborhood.

There’s perhaps not a whole lot going on in Wooten at any given time, but it’s easy enough to reach other, livelier parts of town, and prospective homeowners and young people just starting out can easily get a foothold in Austin’s normally tight housing market here, making it an appealing destination for plenty of people willing to sacrifice a bit of Austin color for the security of affordable, safe housing.

For dining and nightlife, you’re going to want to head outside the neighborhood’s boundaries, and despite Wooten’s declining crime rates, it’s still best to practice caution when you’re out and about, remembering to do things like lock doors and windows. Still, it’s not a bad place to live, and it’s a particularly easy place to raise a family, with affordability, good access to medical care, and solid schools to recommend it.

This far northwest neighborhood is one of Austin’s up and coming areas, meaning that it is still a neighborhood with some issues of crime and lower property values, but is steadily being transformed. Historically this has been a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, and there are many long-time residents who remain here.

Often compared to nearby Crestview and Allandale (sometimes Wooten is referred to as North Allandale), Wooten carries many of the same benefits and vibe of these more popular neighborhoods. But because of its spotty reputation, housing prices remain lower. The borders of Anderson Lane to the south and Highway 183 to the east and north and Burnet Road to the west create a small, triangular-shaped neighborhood. Housing prices can range from the high $100s up into the mid-$200s, saving buyers from $50,000 to $75,000 compared to their neighbors to the south. Area schools include Wooten Elementary, which recently implemented a dual-language program. Burnet Middle School and Lanier High School are the other neighborhood schools serving this area.

Area residents defend their neighborhood from those who characterize it as unsafe. The community is strong and committed to continuing to improve the region. It is still convenient to downtown and the University of Texas, and Burnet Road continues to attract new businesses, giving the area a trendier and more interesting feel. Families find the neighborhood to be a good fit, but for those who prefer more excitement than the local bowling alley, it may not be the best choice.

Wooten
This neighborhood has an almost 50/50 split of white and Hispanic residents, and the median household income is slightly less than the rest of Austin. The majority of the houses here are owned rather than rented, and most were built in the 1960s and ‘70s. The average household income is between $20,000 - $75,000, and house values fall heavily within the $125,000-$250,000 range, with the average listing price at $195,000. The Northcross Mall nearby has an ice rink, but not much else. It used to be really great, but it’s taken a dive in the past few years. There is a public library branch, a comedy club, and a few restaurants nearby. It’s far from campus and downtown, but it’s just a quick jump over to I35 from 183. The area itself is a little hit or miss. You’ll want to avoid anything near Wooten Park Drive, but the farther you get from that, the better kept the homes get. The schools are actually pretty good, given the lower than average income and educational rates of its residents. If you can find a nice place in a nice area here, you’ll probably get more for your money than in more upscale neighborhoods.