Tarrytown is the answer when someone wants the prestige of central Austin without leaving the canopy of old oaks and the walk to Lake Austin. We are Ross Speed and Lindsay Neuren, Austin natives and the founders of The Speed & Neuren Group at Compass, and this is the kind of neighborhood we grew up around and know block by block. Lindsay is a third-generation Austinite who has watched these streets hold their character for decades, and between us we have closed more than a billion dollars in Central Texas real estate.

This guide is written the way we talk to our own clients: what actually makes Tarrytown special, what homes cost here and in Pemberton Heights, which schools serve it, the lifestyle near Lake Austin, and the kind of buyer this neighborhood rewards. If you are buying or selling in Tarrytown in 2026, this is the full picture.

Tarrytown sits in central Austin’s 78703 ZIP code, west of downtown and MoPac and just east of Lake Austin. It is one of the city’s most established luxury neighborhoods: tree-lined, residential, and historic, with a settled charm that newer master-planned areas simply cannot manufacture.

What Makes Tarrytown Special

Tarrytown is not a new luxury market that arrived with the tech boom. It is old Austin, and its appeal is built on things that take a century to create.

Historic Character and Mature Canopy

The defining feature of Tarrytown is its sense of permanence. Many homes date to the 1920s, 1930s, and mid-century, with Tudor, Colonial Revival, and Mediterranean architecture sitting under a dense canopy of live oaks and pecans. Streets curve and slope rather than running on a grid, and the result is a neighborhood that feels like it has always been here. Newer construction exists, but the best of it is scaled and styled to respect the historic fabric rather than overwhelm it.

A Premium Central Location

Tarrytown’s location is hard to replicate. It is minutes from downtown Austin, the University of Texas, Lake Austin, and Lady Bird Lake, yet it stays quiet and residential. You can be at a downtown dinner in ten to fifteen minutes and back home under the oaks the same night. That combination of central access and genuine neighborhood calm is the heart of the Tarrytown premium.

Walkability and Lake Access

Few central Austin neighborhoods are this walkable. Residents stroll to Lake Austin Boulevard for coffee and casual dining, to Mayfield Park and its peacocks and gardens, and to the Lady Bird Lake hike-and-bike trail. Lake Austin itself, a constant-level lake, anchors the western edge of the neighborhood, and that steady water level makes the area especially appealing compared to fluctuating reservoirs farther west.

Scarcity and Pride of Ownership

Tarrytown is essentially built out, lots are tightly held, and many homes pass within families or sell quietly before they ever hit the open market. Pride of ownership is high, and turnover is modest. That scarcity is a structural feature of the neighborhood, not a passing condition, and it is part of why well-positioned homes here hold value.

Homes and Prices in Tarrytown and Pemberton Heights

Tarrytown is one of central Austin’s premier luxury markets, and its pricing reflects both the location and the scarcity of inventory. Original or smaller homes that need updating generally start in the low-to-mid seven figures. Renovated and architecturally significant homes commonly trade from roughly $2 million to $5 million, and estate properties, larger lots, and homes near Lake Austin can move well above that. These are working ranges, so confirm current numbers for your specific situation.

Those ranges hide real variation. Two homes on adjacent blocks can differ by millions based on lot size, original character versus a tasteful rebuild, proximity to Lake Austin, and condition. This is where Ross’s appraisal background changes outcomes: pricing a historic Tarrytown home off a generic per-square-foot average is how sellers leave money on the table and how buyers overpay. We price off the right comparables, not the easy ones.

Pemberton Heights

Inside Tarrytown sits Pemberton Heights, one of central Austin’s most prestigious enclaves. Developed largely in the 1920s and 1930s, it is known for grand period homes, wide lots, a canopy of oak and pecan, and gently winding streets. The architecture skews Tudor, Mediterranean, and Colonial Revival, and the homes are tightly held. Pemberton Heights often commands a premium over the surrounding neighborhood, and its most significant properties rank among the highest-priced in central Austin.

The Rest of Tarrytown

Beyond Pemberton Heights, Tarrytown offers a range that runs from charming original cottages to mid-century homes to high-end new construction. Blocks closer to Lake Austin Boulevard and the water carry their own premium, while the more attainable entries tend to be original homes that invite a renovation. Each pocket has its own character, and knowing which is which is half of buying well here.

Schools in Tarrytown

Tarrytown is served by the Austin Independent School District. This is an important distinction: unlike Westlake, Tarrytown is not in Eanes ISD. The typical Austin ISD feeder pattern for the neighborhood runs Casis Elementary, O. Henry Middle School, and Austin High School.

Casis Elementary

Casis is a long-established and well-regarded neighborhood elementary that many Tarrytown families center their decision around. Its reputation and walkable proximity are a meaningful part of the area’s family appeal.

O. Henry Middle School

O. Henry Middle School serves the central Austin feeder pattern and is the typical bridge between Casis and Austin High for Tarrytown students.

Austin High School

Austin High is the city’s oldest public high school, sitting near Lady Bird Lake just south of the neighborhood. It carries deep local history and a strong central-Austin identity.

Location and Lifestyle Near Lake Austin

Living in Tarrytown means central Austin convenience wrapped in a quiet, historic setting. Lake Austin sits at the western edge of the neighborhood, a constant-level lake that makes its shoreline especially desirable, and Lady Bird Lake and its hike-and-bike trail are minutes away to the south. Mayfield Park, with its gardens and resident peacocks, and the adjoining Laguna Gloria grounds give the area a genuine cultural and green-space anchor.

Day-to-day life clusters along Lake Austin Boulevard, where casual dining and coffee are within walking distance for much of the neighborhood. Downtown Austin and the University of Texas are a short drive, and the central position means almost everything in the urban core is within ten to twenty minutes outside peak traffic. For families, the rhythm of the year often runs through the Austin ISD schools and the neighborhood’s parks and trails, which are a real center of community life here.

Westlake vs Tarrytown: A Side-by-Side

Relocating buyers frequently ask us to compare Tarrytown with Westlake. Both are premier Austin luxury markets, and they reward different priorities.

Factor	Tarrytown	Westlake (West Lake Hills)
Location	Central Austin, 78703, near Lake Austin	Hill Country, 10 to 20 min west of downtown
School district	Austin ISD (Casis, O. Henry, Austin High)	Eanes ISD (#1 in Texas)
Character	Historic homes, mature canopy	Wooded Hill Country lots, long views
Lifestyle	Walkable, central, lake and trails close	Hill Country close to the city
Inventory	Built out, tightly held	Built out, limited supply
Best for	Walkable central charm and proximity	Eanes ISD and Hill Country space

Who Buys in Tarrytown

Tarrytown draws a distinct kind of buyer. Many are established families and professionals who want central Austin’s oldest charm and walkability over the newer luxury of the Hill Country. Others are longtime Austinites trading into a legacy neighborhood, University of Texas-affiliated faculty and leadership who value the proximity, and relocating executives who specifically want a historic, central address rather than a master-planned community.

There is no state income tax in Texas, which lets high earners direct more of their income toward housing, and Tarrytown’s combination of history, central location, and Lake Austin proximity makes it a long-term hold for buyers who value scarcity. These are buyers who tend to keep their homes for years, which is part of why inventory stays so tight.

Frequently Asked Questions About Living in Tarrytown