Bouldin Creek runs from Lady Bird Lake south to Oltorf Street, between South Congress Avenue and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, in ZIP 78704. East and West Bouldin Creeks wind through it, and the Texas School for the Deaf campus here dates to 1856. Most homes date from the neighborhood's main growth period in the 1920s and 1930s.
Bouldin Creek at a glance | |
|---|---|
Location | Lady Bird Lake (north), Union Pacific Railroad tracks (west), Oltorf Street (south) and South Congress Avenue (east) |
ZIP code | 78704 |
City or jurisdiction | City of Austin; Council District 9 north of Mary Street, District 3 south of it |
School district | Austin ISD |
HOA or association | Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association (founded 1980) |
The land was granted to Isaac Decker in 1835 as part of Ben Milam's colony, and James E. Bouldin Sr. bought 1,000 acres here in 1852. The Texas School for the Deaf was established in 1856 on a 65-acre campus between South Congress and South First. The neighborhood itself was created at the turn of the 20th century, with most of its growth in the 1920s and 1930s.
A few older landmarks set the tone. Dr. E.W. Herndon's Victorian home, known as Green Pastures, was built in 1894 and once belonged to Austinite John Henry Faulk. St. Anne AME Church on Newton Street was established in 1916, and a historic 1870s railroad bridge stands in Ricky Guerrero Park.
The creeks shape the lots. Nicolas Dawson Park sits along East Bouldin Creek, and the 16-acre West Bouldin Creek Greenbelt is natural urban forest running through the neighborhood.
The Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association (BCNA), founded in 1980, works with residents on development and city initiatives and offers a "Join Now" membership. Meetings are typically held at 6:15 PM on the second Wednesday of every second month at Twin Oaks Library. Bouldin Creek has no known mandatory HOA, so confirm for a specific lot through the title commitment.
City Council adopted the Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Plan in 2002. Bouldin 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.
Albert's Take
Standout: The 16-acre West Bouldin Creek Greenbelt is a natural urban forest inside a central neighborhood, cared for by neighbors.
Nearby: South First and South Congress are the commercial streets, with Lady Bird Lake to the north and MetroRapid 801 on Congress.
Setting: Two creeks, East and West Bouldin, with pools and shaded creek beds.
Homes: Mostly from the 1920s and 1930s, near landmarks like the Texas School for the Deaf (1856) and the 1894 Herndon home.
Selling here: Have your address's current AISD assignment ready before you list, since Becker Elementary closed and zoned elementary schools changed for 2026-27.
South First and South Congress are Bouldin's two commercial corridors. South Congress is the eastern boundary, shared with Travis Heights, so SoCo's shops and restaurants are at the neighborhood's edge.
Little Mexico, on South First near Oltorf, closed February 28, 2026, after nearly 40 years.
Bouldin Creek is in Austin ISD, and the biggest recent change is Becker Elementary at 906 W. Milton St., which closed at the end of the 2025-26 school year. Under the final plan approved November 21, 2025, students in Becker's zone were reassigned to Galindo Elementary or Zilker Elementary, with first-priority transfer to Sánchez Elementary. Becker's campuswide dual-language program was not preserved.
On AISD's 2026-27 feeder chart, Galindo Elementary feeds Lively Middle and Mendez Middle, then Travis Early College High School. Zilker Elementary feeds O. Henry Middle and Lively Middle, then Austin High and Travis Early College High School.
A Phase 1 boundary vote covering campuses receiving students from closed schools was expected in September 2026, with changes effective 2027-28. The Texas School for the Deaf, a state school, is also in the neighborhood. Confirm zoning for the exact address with the district before you buy.
South First, South Congress, Barton Springs Road, Riverside Drive and Oltorf Street are the main roads. MetroRapid 801 runs on South Congress and on Riverside Drive and Barton Springs Road, with a stop at W. Riverside and Barton Springs Rd.
Light rail's planned route runs south on South Congress, Bouldin's eastern boundary, to Oltorf. Construction is set for 2027, with trains in 2033.
If you already own here, check your address on ATXFloodPro, pull your City of Austin permit history and confirm your home's current AISD assignment for 2026-27.
Current Bouldin Creek 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 Bouldin Creek and throughout South Central Austin. Schedule a Walk & Talk, request a home valuation or ask about private listings.
Bouldin Creek runs from Lady Bird Lake to Oltorf Street, between South Congress Avenue and the Union Pacific tracks, in ZIP 78704. Travis Heights is across South Congress to the east.
Austin ISD. After Becker Elementary closed, students in its zone were reassigned to Galindo or Zilker Elementary, so confirm zoning with the district for the exact address.
There is no known mandatory HOA, so there are no HOA dues to report. The Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association, founded in 1980, offers membership.
Two creeks run through it, including the 16-acre West Bouldin Creek Greenbelt, and it is home to the Texas School for the Deaf campus, which dates to 1856.
Check ATXFloodPro, pull your permit history and confirm your home's current AISD assignment after the Becker closure.
Sources: Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association, City of Austin, Austin ISD, Austin Chronicle, Texas Public Radio, KUT, Community Impact, CultureMap Austin, Axios Austin, KEDT, Wikipedia. Albert Allen, REALTOR®, Compass RE Texas, LLC. Information is believed reliable but not guaranteed. Photo: Bouldin Creek, Hensbread, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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