78749: My Favorite Zip Code in South Austin
I live in 78749. I’ve lived here since I moved to Austin. And I’m not leaving.
If 78748 is a Kia, 78749 is a Lexus. Not flashy. Not loud. Just incredibly reliable. The kind of place you can drive for the rest of your life and never feel like you need to “upgrade.”
It’s comfortable. It’s practical. It’s quietly elite.
78749 is home to some of the best schools in South Austin and some of the most interesting neighborhoods you’ll find anywhere in the city:
Western Oaks
Villages at Western Oaks
Legend Oaks
Maple Run
Circle C North
Loma Vista
Beckett Meadows
Sendera
Westcreek
Oak Creek
Each one has its own personality, and that’s part of what makes this zip code so special.
Maple Run: The Gateway Drug to 78749
Maple Run has one of the lowest barriers to entry in 78749. It’s where I bought my first home in 2012. It’s one of the best neighborhoods in South Austin for first-time buyers.
Originally built as KB homes, many still need some updating, but that’s the beauty of it. These homes feel like a blank canvas. You can get in for the mid $300s on the low end, and if you take care of it, there are still sales over $700k in the same neighborhood.
That’s real upside.
Western Oaks and the JW Smith Section
Western Oaks is a step up. The JW Smith section is one of the coolest pockets in all of South Austin. Older homes, large lots, mature trees, serious charm.
Because these are mostly 70s homes, storage is… optimistic. Closets are small. Floor plans can be a little wonky. But that’s part of the character. It feels lived in, not manufactured.
Villages at Western Oaks
Built in the 80s, these homes are larger with slightly better storage, though some floor plans still march to their own drummer.
Parts of Villages at Western Oaks don’t have an HOA, which allows people to remodel creatively and do some really cool stuff. You’ll see additions, modern updates, and homes that feel truly custom. For some people, it’s a turnoff. For the rest of us, it’s personality.
Legend Oaks
Legend Oaks is incredible. Built in the mid 90s, most homes are three sides masonry and larger than their neighbors.
Known for giant primary bedrooms, better storage, and layouts that make sense. It also has two community pools, which is huge in the dog days of summer when building your own pool starts to feel like a life-or-death decision.
Westcreek
Westcreek feels like an artist community. It’s cool. It’s quirky. And those smaller homes have skyrocketed in value over the last few years.
It’s probably the most expensive price-per-square-foot neighborhood in Southwest Austin. People fall in love with it fast.
Circle C North
Not quite Circle C proper in 78739, but you still get access to Circle C amenities. It’s a great middle ground for buyers who want the Circle C lifestyle without the Circle C price tag.
And that’s just the neighborhoods.
78749 also wins at lifestyle.
Costco.
Whole Foods.
HEB.
Restaurants everywhere.
Three full gyms including a Life Time Fitness.
Bike trails.
Walking trails.
Movie theaters.
Once you live here, you don’t really need to leave the zip code. And the best part? You don’t feel like you’re “keeping up with the Benjamins” while doing it.
It’s not flashy.
It’s not pretentious.
It just works.
That’s why 78749 is my favorite zip code in South Austin.
