Barton Hills is a primarily residential neighborhood of about 535 acres in ZIP 78704, with Zilker Park and Barton Springs Road to the north and Barton Creek to the west. The Barton Creek Greenbelt runs through it, with trailheads on residential streets. Homes are primarily single-family in many styles, from 1940s A.D. Stenger mid-century moderns to houses built into the late 1990s.
Barton Hills at a glance | |
|---|---|
Location | Barton Springs Road and Zilker Park (north), South Lamar and Zilker neighborhoods (east), Capital of Texas Highway (south), Barton Creek (west) |
ZIP code | Part of 78704 |
City or jurisdiction | City of Austin, Council District 5 |
School district | Austin ISD |
HOA or association | Barton Hills Neighborhood Association |
The history here runs deep. Artifacts show Native American camps near Barton Springs about 11,000 years ago, and William "Uncle Billy" Barton settled and patented land near the springs in 1836 and 1837. By 1875 the steamboat Sunbeam ran excursions from Austin to Barton Springs for 50 cents.
In the 1940s, A.D. Stenger designed mid-century modern homes between Arthur Street and Ariole Way, and a 1955 USGS map shows only about a dozen of his "Contemporary" houses between Rabb Road and Barton Creek. In 1956 Barton Hills was featured in Austin's Parade of Homes as "the world's largest air-conditioned subdivision." Platting began in six sections by S.R. Sheppard, Builders Development Corporation and others, with 1,585 lots planned.
In the 1970s, lots and streets west of Barton Skyway were re-platted as the Horseshoe Bend subdivision, and construction continued into the late 1990s. In 1978 residents protested a proposed Barton Skyway bridge over Barton Creek; the bridge was shelved, and its right-of-way became part of the Barton Creek Greenbelt.
The Barton Hills Neighborhood Association is the neighborhood's association. Barton Hills has no known mandatory HOA, so confirm for a specific lot through the title commitment.
Barton Hills is not among the City's eight local historic districts. City of Austin tree rules apply: protected trees are 19 inches and larger, and heritage trees are 24 inches and larger of listed species. The greenbelt is habitat for endangered species, and HOME Phase 2 (effective August 15, 2024) practices were barred in the City's wildfire-urban interface area until November 16, 2024, so ask how each applies to a specific lot.
Albert's Take
Standout: The Barton Creek Greenbelt runs through the neighborhood, with trailheads on residential streets like Homedale Drive and Barton Hills Drive.
Nearby: Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool are just north, and MetroRapid 803 runs on South Lamar.
Setting: Hillside streets above Barton Creek, with limestone cliffs along the greenbelt.
Homes: 1940s Stenger mid-century moderns, a subdivision platted from 1956 and the Horseshoe Bend re-plat from the 1970s.
Selling here: If your lot is near Barton Creek, check it on ATXFloodPro before you list, since local rules use the 500-year floodplain.
Barton Hills is primarily residential, so dining and shopping are on the nearby corridors: Barton Springs Road to the north and South Lamar to the east.
On Barton Springs Road, Oria, a wood-fired Mediterranean restaurant near Zilker, opened February 27, 2026. The Zilker page covers more of the corridor.
Barton Hills is in Austin ISD. The schools named for the neighborhood are Barton Hills Elementary, Zilker Elementary, O. Henry Middle School and Austin High School.
On AISD's 2026-27 feeder chart, Barton Hills Elementary feeds O. Henry Middle, which feeds Austin High. Zilker Elementary feeds O. Henry Middle and Lively Middle. Neither Barton Hills Elementary nor O. Henry was among the 10 schools approved for closure in the 2025-26 decisions.
A boundary vote was expected in September 2026, with changes effective 2027-28, followed by a districtwide phase in fall 2028. Confirm zoning for the exact address with the district before you buy.
Barton Skyway, Barton Springs Road, South Lamar, Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 360) and MoPac are the main roads. MetroRapid 803 runs on South Lamar, with stops including Barton Springs and Lamar Square. Neither light rail nor I-35 passes through Barton Hills.
If you already own here, check your address on ATXFloodPro and pull your City of Austin permit history. If your home is one of the Stenger mid-century moderns between Arthur Street and Ariole Way, gather what you know of its history for the listing.
Current Barton Hills homes for sale appear below.
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Albert Allen is an Austin native and Luxury Real Estate Advisor with Compass, with more than a decade of experience helping clients buy and sell across Austin.
Albert represents buyers and sellers in Barton Hills and throughout South Central Austin. Schedule a Walk & Talk, request a home valuation or ask about private listings.
Barton Hills is in 78704, south of Zilker Park and Barton Springs Road, with Barton Creek to the west, the Zilker and South Lamar neighborhoods to the east and Capital of Texas Highway to the south.
Austin ISD. Barton Hills Elementary feeds O. Henry Middle and Austin High; confirm zoning with the district for the exact address.
There is no known mandatory HOA, so there are no HOA dues to report. The Barton Hills Neighborhood Association represents the neighborhood.
The Barton Creek Greenbelt runs through it, with trailheads on residential streets, and it was billed in 1956 as "the world's largest air-conditioned subdivision."
Check your address on ATXFloodPro, pull your permit history and know how greenbelt habitat or the wildfire-urban interface may apply to your lot.
Sources: City of Austin, Barton Hills Neighborhood Association, Austin ISD, Austin Chronicle, KUT, Austin Monitor, Community Impact, Axios Austin, Wikipedia. Albert Allen, REALTOR®, Compass RE Texas, LLC. Information is believed reliable but not guaranteed. Photo: Barton Hills, Hensbread, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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