Dawson

The Dawson neighbor is located south of Downtown Austin, and is a safe and affordable place for families. There are single family homes here that run from around $175,000 to $350,000 for a 1750 square foot house. There are also a number of affordable condominiums and apartments, and a few townhomes. It's close to St. Edwards University so it's ideal for students from there and the University
of Texas at Austin. It's clean and green for the most part and a safe place to raise a family with low crime rates.

It's served by the Capitol Metro public transportation system so it's fast and easy to get to any part of town. This neighborhood has some of the better performing Austin Independent School District campuses as well. It's close to South Congress Street and it's not far to downtown, but before you go there are more than a few funky eateries and nightlife options in the area to be checked out. This is a tight-knit neighborhood that enjoys all the best Austin has to offer without all of the noise that comes with it.

Dawson is taking off, but so far, it’s managed to hang onto a a good chunk of its laid-back, tucked-away scene. Peppered with funky local eateries and businesses, and populated by a broad range of ages and types, Dawson is the perfect middle ground between the boisterous nightlife and popularity of SoCo or downtown and the quiet residential areas that make up farther-flung parts of town.

Housing remains pretty consistently affordable, with fairly stable and average rental and home prices. The neighborhood is safe, friendly, and quiet, and welcoming to all the different types of people who pass through. It’s got something of a reputation for being a haven for longtime Austinites who want to hang on to the old-school, funky dynamic of the Austin of decades ago, but in all truth, the neighborhood is an ideal setting for pretty much anyone. Affordability and easy access to St. Edwards, downtown, and UT make it perfect for students looking to get off-campus, artists looking for a free-wheeling, accepting space, and even young professionals or small families.

The neighborhood isn’t going to remain a secret forever, though, and prices will only continue to rise as its popularity continues to grow and more and more people demonstrate a demand for housing in this nearly-ideal location.

Relatively undiscovered gems in the neighborhood scene are becoming increasingly scarce as Austin continues to grow in population and popularity. The Dawson neighborhood, located south of the much more visible South Congress (SoCo) neighborhood, remains one of those gems. Populated by those who cherish the old Austin vibe, this quiet neighborhood is home to young families and professionals, as well as long-time residents of the area.

The Dawson neighborhood is bordered by Oltorf Road to the north, Ben White/Highway 290 to the south, South First Street on the west and South Congress Avenue on the east. Located across South Congress is St. Edwards University, making this the perfect neighborhood for students of this private university. Because it is farther south from the heart of Austin’s hubs, housing prices have not accelerated as much as other similarly attractive neighborhoods. The average home price runs in the mid-$200s. Schools in the area include Dawson Elementary, Fulmore Middle School and Travis High School.
Residents of Dawson are a tight-knit group, and enjoy their proximity to the hip and trendy SoCo neighborhood without having to put up with the noise and energy of that scene. As more and more people become aware of its charms, which include lovely tree-lined streets, local businesses and restaurants, and strong hippie roots, Dawson risks losing its laid-back vibe. This is a neighborhood to move into sooner, rather than later.

Not all college students in Austin go to the University of Texas, and those that attend the Catholic campus to the south do well living in the Dawson neighborhood just across the street on South Congress Ave. Below the hustle and bustle of the SoCo area, Dawson is a slightly quieter, but still energetic neighborhood with affordable rental rates with the average being around $700. Highway 71 borders the neighborhood to the south and offers easy transit in and out of the city going east or westbound. East Oltorf serves as the northern boundary of Dawson, providing a convenient separation from the overrun hipster and tourist nights and weekend a few blocks north, but does not prohibit easy entry for those who wish to explore in the SoCo streets.

The majority of houses predate the 1950s and are of small size, coming in a variety of unconventional colors. Residents are of mixed ages compared to other Austin neighborhoods that tend to have a defining age trend. Dawson is also home to the city's busiest H-E-B, which is located at he corner of E. Oltorf and S. Congress Ave., so residents should choose their grocery shopping time carefully. Though not as dense as it is several blocks north, S. Congress Ave. has its healthy share of favorite restaurants and bars that offer a hefty dose of local nightlife. Head over to the 04 Lounge or the Crow Bar for some good dive bar drinks and down and dirty live music that can only be found in Austin or spend time at the Garden District Coffeehouse for sipping java outdoors. It is hard for St. Edwards students or any local period to do better than Dawson. Just be cautious about rush hour traffic feeding in from Highway 71.