Wondering if your next Austin address should be in Tarrytown or Bryker Woods? You are not alone. Both sit inside the coveted 78703 zip code, and each offers a distinct lifestyle that is easy to love yet different in day-to-day feel. In a few minutes, you will see how they compare on location, street character, lot sizes, schools, and pricing so you can choose with confidence. Let’s dive in.
78703 in two minutes
Both neighborhoods are central, west of downtown, and close to MoPac and Lady Bird Lake. Tarrytown leans residential and lakeside in identity. Bryker Woods reads as intimate, historic, and walkable to cafés and Shoal Creek amenities. At the zip level, 78703 data blends multiple micro-markets, so use neighborhood and block-level context when you price a home. For broad context, the 78703 median hovered near the low seven figures in recent late‑2025 snapshots, but single high-dollar sales can swing the numbers. You can see that zip-level volatility in Redfin’s 78703 market page.
Where they sit
- Tarrytown: Between Lake Austin on the west and MoPac on the east, generally bounded by W. 35th Street to the north and Lake Austin Boulevard or Enfield Road to the south. The Tarrytown Alliance is a helpful neighborhood reference for history and amenities.
- Bryker Woods: Roughly West 35th Street to the north, MoPac to the west, Westover to the south, and Shoal Creek to the east. It sits within the Old West Austin National Register Historic District. For a concise history and boundary context, visit the Bryker Woods Neighborhood Association.
Street feel and lifestyle
- Tarrytown: Quieter residential streets with generous setbacks and a strong lake identity. You will find tree-lined blocks and a relaxed pace near Deep Eddy Pool, Mayfield Park, and Lions Municipal Golf Course. The area has fewer storefronts within the neighborhood core, which supports a calm, private feel. The Tarrytown Alliance highlights many of these amenities.
- Bryker Woods: Porch-front bungalows, mature tree canopy, and everyday walkability to coffee, cafés, and small retail on the 29th to 34th Street corridors. Proximity to Shoal Creek’s trail network adds an easy outdoor rhythm to the week. Its historic recognition helps explain the cohesive streetscape you notice block to block, as outlined by the neighborhood association’s Old West Austin overview.
Homes and lots
Bryker Woods homes and lots
You will largely see 1930s to 1950s bungalows and cottages, many updated with care. Parcels often fall in the roughly 0.14 to 0.22 acre range, which supports a compact footprint with front porches and modest backyards. That scale is part of the charm, keeping the neighborhood close-knit in feel and easy to maintain.
Tarrytown homes and lots
Tarrytown includes early and mid-century homes, newer high-end rebuilds, and a small number of larger lakefront properties. Lots commonly range from about 0.2 to 0.3 acres in interior sections, with true estate parcels above 0.5 acres in select areas such as Scenic Drive. For a sense of the lakeside estate profile here, browse representative listings on West Austin Waterfront.
Walkability and daily rhythm
Walkability shifts block by block in both neighborhoods. Bryker Woods tends to offer more consistent, short-walk errands to coffee, casual dining, and Shoal Creek trail access. Tarrytown is more residential and quieter. Some pockets near Exposition Boulevard, Enfield Road, and Tarrytown Center are walkable for daily shopping, while many interior streets are better suited to a quick drive or bike ride. If a daily on-foot routine is a top priority, map your target address to nearby stores and trails and time the walk yourself during a typical weekday.
Schools and attendance zones
Parts of 78703 commonly feed to O. Henry Middle and Austin High. Elementary feeders often cited by agents include Casis Elementary for much of Tarrytown and Bryker Woods Elementary for Bryker Woods. GreatSchools shows strong academic ratings for both Casis and Bryker Woods Elementary, and O. Henry profiles are available via the Texas Tribune. You can review campus information for O. Henry on the Texas Tribune’s school profile.
Important: Austin ISD considered districtwide rezoning and closures during 2025. Board actions and drafts evolved over time. Attendance boundaries can change, which can affect a specific address. If school fit matters to your decision, verify your exact address assignment through AISD’s official lookup and confirm timing on the district calendar before you finalize an offer. Local reporting summarizes those proposals and the map implications in the Austin American-Statesman’s coverage.
Prices and market behavior
Bryker Woods pricing
Recent neighborhood data showed a median sale price around the low seven figures in late 2025. In December 2025, Redfin’s Bryker Woods snapshot reported a median near about 1.08 million dollars. Updated bungalows and modestly scaled homes tend to command higher prices per square foot than original-condition properties. You can review current neighborhood-level figures on Redfin’s Bryker Woods page.
Tarrytown pricing
Tarrytown’s limited inventory and the presence of lakefront estates and new construction can swing medians significantly in any 30-day view. A longer window paints a steadier picture. Representative sources show a 12‑month median around the mid seven figures, as seen on Homes.com’s Tarrytown page, while brief 30‑day snapshots can land far higher when luxury closings cluster. The takeaway: use 12 to 36 month trends and address-level comps rather than a single monthly median.
Zip-level context
Zip-level medians for 78703 blend multiple micro-neighborhoods, from Tarrytown to Old Enfield and Bryker Woods. As of late 2025, a zip-level read sat near the low seven figures, which works as a broad anchor but is too coarse for pricing a specific block. For orientation, see Redfin’s 78703 market overview, then drill into comps within a two to three block radius of your target home.
Which fits your goals
Use your non-negotiables to guide the decision. Here is a quick filter to help you sort priorities.
- Want larger lots and a lake-forward lifestyle: Focus on Tarrytown, especially areas near Scenic Drive and Lake Austin Boulevard. Explore estate-scale and lakeside options through resources like West Austin Waterfront.
- Want historic charm and short, daily walks to coffee or small retail: Bryker Woods delivers with porch-front bungalows and access to Shoal Creek. The Bryker Woods Neighborhood Association outlines the historic context that shapes the streetscape.
- Schools matter to the decision: Both neighborhoods often feed to well-regarded campuses. Verify your address with AISD’s school finder and watch board updates, since 2025 proposals may affect attendance zones. The Statesman’s coverage recaps the planning process.
- Budget and timing: Bryker Woods can offer a lower entry point for renovated, modestly scaled homes compared with Tarrytown’s lakefront or estate options. Both submarkets are inventory constrained, so set expectations for speed and decisiveness when the right listing appears. For a live neighborhood pulse, reference Redfin’s Bryker Woods data and a longer-window Tarrytown read on Homes.com.
Buying smart: due diligence checklist
- Confirm lot size and setbacks: Use Travis County Appraisal District data and a current survey or plat to validate parcel size and understand ADU or expansion potential.
- Price with precision: Pull 12 to 36 month comps and adjust for block, lot size, condition, and age. In Tarrytown, separate lake-proximate or new-build comps from interior streets to avoid skew.
- Walk your routine: Test the walk or bike from your target address to trailheads, coffee, grocery, and school during typical commute times.
- Verify attendance by address: Use AISD’s official lookup and confirm any board actions that could shift zones. The Austin American-Statesman recap explains the 2025 proposals.
- Check historic and neighborhood layers: Bryker Woods is in the Old West Austin National Register Historic District, which is recognition rather than a local historic overlay. Tarrytown has active neighborhood advocacy. Review neighborhood association pages and City preservation records before planning a demolition or major addition. The Bryker Woods historic overview is a good primer.
Your next step
Both Tarrytown and Bryker Woods offer the central Austin lifestyle, yet they feel distinctly different once you are on the block. If you want estate-like privacy and lake identity, Tarrytown belongs on your short list. If you value porch charm and a short walk to neighborhood spots, Bryker Woods might be the better fit. The right choice comes down to your daily rhythm and what you want your home to do for you over the next decade.
If you would like a discreet, data-backed comparison with address-level comps and off-market options, connect with Joe & Cara Keenan for a private consultation. You will get a calm, concierge process and the hyperlocal guidance that makes a confident decision simple.
FAQs
Is Tarrytown or Bryker Woods more walkable in 78703?
- Bryker Woods generally offers more consistent block-to-block walkability to cafés, small retail, and Shoal Creek, while Tarrytown has quieter residential streets with select walkable pockets near Exposition and Enfield.
How do lot sizes compare between Tarrytown and Bryker Woods?
- Bryker Woods often features parcels around 0.14 to 0.22 acres, while Tarrytown ranges from about 0.2 to 0.3 acres on interior blocks with estate lots above 0.5 acres near the lake and Scenic Drive.
Which neighborhood offers better access to Lake Austin amenities?
- Tarrytown has a stronger lake identity and proximity to public anchors like Deep Eddy and Mayfield Park, with select lakefront and estate properties highlighted on resources such as West Austin Waterfront.
What price ranges should I expect in each neighborhood?
- Bryker Woods recent data points to a median near the low seven figures, while Tarrytown’s longer-window medians sit in the mid seven figures and can jump higher in short snapshots due to lakefront and new-build sales.
How should I verify school assignments for a specific address in 78703?
- Use Austin ISD’s official school finder and confirm timing on the district calendar, since 2025 rezoning proposals created potential changes. The Austin American-Statesman overview summarizes the planning process.
