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The 4 Best Austin-Area Neighborhoods for Tech WorkersThe tech industry in Austin currently counts among the city’s most significanteconomic forces. Some even refer to Austin as “Mini Silicon Valley,”referencing the Lone Star Capital’s major influx of tech companies buildingboth satellite campuses and corporate headquarters.As a result, plenty of Austinites with technical savvy seek employment atthese up-and-coming—and, in some cases, already established—businesses.Because certain Austin-area neighborhoods and towns contain particularly highdensities of these workplaces, it’s helpful for new arrivals to considerproximity to these techie hotspots when house hunting.If you’re employed at one of the many tech-centric workplaces in the metroAustin area, these four areas will provide the easiest commutes, along withenough restaurants, bars, and entertainment options to keep you busy whenyou’re off-the-clock.As Austin’s premier neighborhood for business and commerce, Downtown Austin’sstatus as a top area for tech companies hardly comes as a surprise. Majorindustry players like Google and Facebook have campuses in Austin’s downtowncenter, and the proliferation of coworking spaces like WeWork, Industrious,TechSpace, and FIRMSPACE also make the neighborhood a good option for early-stage startups. Downtown Austin’s prime location between the MoPac Expresswayand I-35 allows for easy commuting distances to the entire metro Austin area,and Downtown also boasts an extensive network of CapMetro bus routes and bike-sharing stations.As the tech industry’s presence grows in Downtown Austin, eateries andgathering places catering to this demographic become more and more popular.One prime example is Fareground, a food hall in the heart of downtown withbooths from local favorites like Contigo, Dai Due, and Henbit. The spaceincludes substantial indoor and outdoor seating, speedy WiFi, and large tablesperfect for lunch meetings.Downtown Austin is the city’s most classically urban neighborhood, so itstands to reason that condos, lofts, and apartments make up the majority ofthe area’s housing inventory. Home prices downtown currently start in the mid$200s and top out at nearly $5 million, with a median sale in the low $500s,according to Neighborhoods.com data.Food trucks are popular dining option in East Austin. Photo bystock_photo_world / Shutterstock.comDowntown Austin’s eclectic and bohemian next-door neighbor also attractsattention from the city’s burgeoning tech industry. Start-ups flock to EastAustin for its youthful energy, trendy vibes, and large inventory of loft andwarehouse-related spaces ideal for tech workers. Companies like H-E-B, CondeNast, and Favor all claim tech-related offices in the area.East Austin’s food truck and bar scenes are the stuff of legends, and the techemployees working in the neighborhood take full advantage of these desirablelocal venues. Chic cocktail lounges (like Whisler’s) draw techies in need of awell-balanced libation after the daily grind, and beloved trucks like VeracruzAll Natural, Micklethwait Craft Meats, and Boteco keep them happily fed.As one of the fastest-growing and most desirable neighborhoods in the metroAustin area, East Austin has an understandably competitive housing market withrelatively high property values. Currently, condos, apartments, and townhousescomprise the majority of the area’s housing stock with single-family homesalso available. The price range for homes in East Austin begins in the mid$200s and goes up to $1.4 million, with a median sale price in the mid $400s.Homes bordering the Colorado River in northwest Austin.In recent years, the northwest quadrant of Austin garnered a new nickname:“Silicon Hills.” This area contains the highest density of tech companies inCentral Texas, and Austinites employed in the tech industry eagerly seek outhomes in this section of town.Apple’s current Austin campus is in Northwest Austin, and later this year thecompany’s enormous new facility will open only a mile away from the originalcampus. Other major tech groups with a presence in this neighborhood includeIntel, IBM, Cisco, eBay, and Hewlett Packard.Northwest Austin combines suburban serenity with urban convenience, making itan appealing area for young families and professionals in search of a peacefulplace to call home. Major shopping destinations like The Domain and The Shopsat Arbor Walk are located in Northwest Austin, and residents can also takeadvantage of excellent public greenspaces like Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park.Northwest Austin homes primarily fall within the single-family category, withcurrent prices ranging from the mid $100s to over $2 million.Austin isn’t the only city in Central Texas with a strong tech-industrypresence. A 25-minute drive north of the capital will bring you to Round Rock,which tech companies have embraced as a solid option for campuses andheadquarters.With about 13,000 employees at its Round Rock HQ, Dell Technologies countsamong the region’s most popular employers, and smaller tech companies arefinding the lower rental prices and operational overhead of a Round Rocklocation (as opposed to an office in Austin proper) an attractive alternative.The bulk of Round Rock’s available housing comes in the form of single-familyhomes. The price of a home in this town currently starts in the high $100s andgoes up to over $1 million.