Neighborhood in Austin, Travis County

Living in Santa Monica Park, Austin

D-

194th of 206areas in Austin
Overall score 8 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Austin overall: B-

Santa Monica Park is a neighborhood in Austin, TX, home to about 2,300 people. It gets a D-, in the bottom 16% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 194th of 206 areas we score in Austin. It does best on education levels and worst on schools.

  • Lots of parks
  • Jobs and income scores low (12 of 100)
  • Schools scores low (9 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.5 mi
Pharmacy1.0 mi
Parkunder 0.1 mi
Cafe0.7 mi
Restaurant0.3 mi
Gym0.5 mi
Hospital or urgent care1.2 mi
Childcare0.2 mi
Library1.4 mi

Straight-line distance from the middle of where people live. Overture Maps.

Population
2,290
Median rent
$1,520
Median home value
$545,000
Household income
$67,100
Average commute
20 min
Homes owned
33%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Santa Monica Park

Santa Monica Park is a neighborhood in Austin with about 2,300 residents, homes built around 1981, mostly rented (67% of homes) and 27% of households with children.

It grades D- against every neighborhood in Texas and ranks 194th of 206 areas in Austin, which grades B- overall.

Pros of living in Santa Monica Park

  • Cheaper rent than the city. Median rent is $1,520, 12% lower than the Austin median.
  • Groceries close by. The nearest grocery store is about 0.5 miles from the middle of the neighborhood.
  • Parks within walking distance. The closest park is about under 0.1 miles away.

Cons of living in Santa Monica Park

  • Higher poverty. 30% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12% across Austin.
  • Higher unemployment. 10% of the labor force is out of work, against 4.7% across Austin.
  • Lower-rated schools nearby. Only 0 of the 3 closest public schools are rated A or B.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of hail as very high in this part of town.

Santa Monica Park report card

Each grade compares Santa Monica Park with every neighborhood in Texas. Safety is not graded for single neighborhoods because police report crime for the whole city.

  • Cost of living: grade D

    Median rent $1,520, homes cost 8.1x income.

    21 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade D-

    Median household income $67,100, 10% unemployed.

    12 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade D-

    Nearby schools average 69 of 100 on the state rating.

    9 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 422 violent crimes per 100k, 3,099 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade C+

    Most everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    56 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade C

    Average commute 20 min, 27% work from home.

    45 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade B+

    43% have a bachelor’s degree.

    78 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade D

    21% of adults uninsured.

    17 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade D+

    33% of homes owner-occupied.

    29 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade C+

    93% of homes have broadband.

    50 of 100 vs TX areas

Santa Monica Park compared with Austin

Better than Austin

  • Average commute: 20 min14% lower than Austin (24 min)
  • Median rent: $1,52012% lower than Austin ($1,729)

Worse than Austin

  • People below the poverty line: 30%18 points higher than Austin (12%)
  • Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher: 43%17 points lower than Austin (60%)
  • Home value to income: 8.1x37% higher than Austin (5.9x)

Closest public schools

Texas Education Agency 2025 ratings. Check the attendance zone for any address with the district.

  • FLinder ElementaryElementary, Austin ISD0.3 mi
  • CLively MiddleMiddle, Austin ISD1.8 mi
  • CTravis Early College High SchoolHigh, Austin ISD1 mi

Cost of living in Santa Monica Park

Median rent in Santa Monica Park is $1,520 a month, 12% lower than the Austin median. A household would need about $61,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $545,000, about the same as the Austin median, which means a monthly payment of about $3,404 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereAustinTexas
Median rent12% lower than Austin$1,520$1,729$1,403
Median home valueAbout the same as Austin$545,000$555,300$283,800
Home value to income37% higher than Austin8.1x5.9x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent5 points higher than Austin53%48%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them11 points lower than Austin33%43%63%
Vacant homesAbout the same as Austin4.6%5.6%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Austin198119941992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$3,404
Mortgage payment
$2,983
Property tax
$421
Median rent, for comparison
$1,520

Based on a $545,000 home in Santa Monica Park, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median for the surrounding Census tract, or the county where that is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.

Work, income and getting around

MeasureHereAustinTexas
Median household income28% lower than Austin$67,100$93,658$78,476
Unemployment rate6 points higher than Austin10%4.7%5.3%
People below the poverty line18 points higher than Austin30%12%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher17 points lower than Austin43%60%34%
Average commute14% lower than Austin20 min24 min27 min
Workers who work from home4 points lower than Austin27%31%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transit5 points lower than Austin0%5.3%2.6%
Homes with broadband internetAbout the same as Austin93%94%91%

Natural hazard risk

FEMA National Risk Index for the Census tracts in this area.

  • River floodingVery low
  • HurricanesModerate
  • TornadoesHigh
  • HailVery high
  • Heat wavesHigh
  • WildfiresLow
  • Winter stormsLow
  • Strong windLow

Who lives in Santa Monica Park

Under 1827%
18 to 3436%
35 to 6435%
65 and over2.8%
Race and ethnicity
White24%
Hispanic or Latino65%
Black1.7%
Asian5.6%
Other or more than one race4.1%

Shown for information only. It is never part of any grade.

Other neighborhoods in Austin

  1. 1A+TarrytownMedian rent $3,280
  2. 2A+Glen RidgeMedian rent $1,190
  3. 3A+Appaloosa Run
  4. 4A+Northwest HillsMedian rent $1,900
  5. 4A+Westover HillsMedian rent $1,570
  6. 6A+The GroveMedian rent $1,870
  7. 7A+Violet Crown HeightsMedian rent $1,530
  8. 8A+Old West AustinMedian rent $3,270

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. DParkside CrossingGeorgetown
  2. DNorthgateMidland
  3. DWedgwoodFort Worth

Questions about Santa Monica Park

Is Santa Monica Park a good place to live?

Santa Monica Park is a neighborhood in Austin, TX, home to about 2,300 people. It gets a D-, in the bottom 16% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 194th of 206 areas we score in Austin. It does best on education levels and worst on schools.

How much does it cost to live in Santa Monica Park?

Median rent in Santa Monica Park is $1,520 a month, 12% lower than the Austin median. The median home is worth $545,000, about the same as the Austin median. A median home costs 8.1x the median household income, compared with 5.9x across Austin.

What schools serve Santa Monica Park?

The closest rated public schools are Linder Elementary (elementary, rated F), Lively Middle (middle, rated C) and Travis Early College High School (high, rated C). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area is built from 2 Census block groups closest to the Santa Monica Park name on the map, so its edges are approximate. Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, CDC PLACES 2025, Texas Education Agency, FEMA National Risk Index, Overture Maps. How we grade.