Top-rated Eanes ISD, mature tree canopy, and Hill Country topography just 10–15 minutes from downtown. Estate values typically range from $1.2M to $8M+, with the upper tier driven by school zone and limited buildable land.
78746Monthly Market Insights
Median sold price, days on market, inventory trends, and what they mean for West Lake Hills buyers and sellers. Sent monthly by Shivraj Grewal. No fluff, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Neighborhood Profile
West Lake Hills is not an Austin neighborhood. It is an incorporated city of roughly 3,700 residents with its own council, police department, and zoning code, and decades of strict low-density residential zoning are why the hillsides still look the way they do: no master-planned communities, no production builders, no HOA amenity packages. Renovation and new-build permits run through the City of Westlake Hills, not the City of Austin, which matters more than most buyers expect.
The housing stock mixes established 1970s–80s ranch homes on large treed lots with renovated or newly built custom estates. Lots average around 0.45 acres, many sections run from half an acre to two-plus acres, and elevation changes from roughly 500 to over 800 feet create view corridors that vary street by street. Toro Canyon Road holds the most coveted ridgeline estates, Westlake Drive is the city's internal spine, and Walsh Tarlton Lane winds past some of the most established properties. Bee Cave Road (RM 2244) anchors day-to-day life — Westlake Market, H-E-B, and the area's dining cluster — while Loop 360 forms the scenic western boundary. Our Westlake Hills 2026 guide breaks down each corridor in detail.
This is a car-dependent community by design: big lots, steep terrain, no walkable retail grid. The trade-off is Barton Creek Greenbelt access on the southern edge and downtown Austin 15–20 minutes away off-peak. For the buyer's decision points — jurisdiction, deed restrictions, tree ordinances — see our buyer's guide, and for the $2M+ tier, the luxury estates guide.
Eanes ISD
Eanes ISD is the reason many buyers shortlist West Lake Hills before they've seen a single home. The district is rated "A" by the Texas Education Agency and operates six elementary schools, two middle schools — Hill Country Middle School and West Ridge Middle School — and a single high school, Westlake High School, home of the Chaparrals. That one-high-school structure keeps the community cohesive from kindergarten through graduation, and Westlake High's AP programs, college placement, and athletics are a genuine driver of demand in 78746.
One caveat we repeat to every client: Eanes ISD attendance boundaries do not follow a simple map. Not every home in 78746 is zoned to Eanes, and not every Eanes address sits inside the West Lake Hills city limits. Verify the exact campus assignment with Eanes ISD before you write an offer. For the full district-by-district picture, see our Austin schools guide; for how the district moves home values, our Eanes ISD market report.
Market Snapshot
West Lake Hills is a thin, geographically constrained market — hemmed in by the Barton Creek greenbelt and the Colorado River, with little buildable land and typically fewer than 30 active single-family listings at any given time. That scarcity shows up in the numbers. Per Redfin data as of June 11, 2026, the 30-day median sold price was $2,800,000 — up 34.6% year over year — and the 12-month median was $2,816,410 across 34 closings, with average days on market running 71–81.
Read those DOM figures correctly: this is not a market where everything flies off the shelf. Correctly priced, well-presented homes move; optimistically priced legacy properties sit, and the spread between the two has widened. Condition matters more than it did three years ago. If you own here and want a realistic number rather than a flattering one, start with our home value estimator, then ask for a street-level comp set.
West Lake Hills FAQ
West Lake Hills is a Hill Country community just west of downtown Austin, roughly 10 to 15 minutes from the city center. It sits in the 78746 ZIP code.
West Lake Hills is served by the top-rated Eanes ISD, which is one of the main draws for buyers in the area.
According to this page, estate values typically range from about $1.2M to $8M+. The upper tier is driven by the Eanes ISD school zone and the limited amount of buildable land.
West Lake Hills is known for its top-rated Eanes ISD schools, mature tree canopy, and Hill Country topography. As Grewal RE Group notes, the area sells on schools and trees rather than square footage, with buyers prioritizing the lot, the canopy, and proximity to downtown.
West Lake Hills offers easy access to the outdoors with its wooded Hill Country setting and walkability to downtown Austin just 10 to 15 minutes away. Residents are close to Lake Austin, area parks and greenbelt trails, and the dining and recreation of both the surrounding Westlake area and central Austin.
West Lake Hills sits roughly 6 to 8 miles west of downtown. Off-peak, the drive takes about 15 to 20 minutes via Bee Cave Road to MoPac or via Loop 360; during rush hour, plan for 25 to 40 minutes. The community is car-dependent by design — large lots and steep terrain mean commutes and errands happen by car.
Yes. New construction in West Lake Hills is limited and concentrated on teardown lots, since there is almost no vacant buildable land. Established 1970s–90s homes on large treed lots are frequently renovated or replaced with custom builds. Permits run through the City of Westlake Hills, not the City of Austin, and removing heritage trees (8-inch-plus diameter) requires a permit — both can affect construction plans and timelines.
They serve different buyers. West Lake Hills offers Eanes ISD, a roughly 12-minute drive to downtown, and established estates on larger lots at multi-million-dollar prices. Bee Cave, about 30 minutes out, is served by the well-regarded Lake Travis ISD, has abundant new construction, and a median price around $850K — less than half of West Lake Hills.
Neighborhood-level reports show the pattern. Street-level reports show your decision. I'll pull a custom comp-set for the exact block you're targeting, no obligation.
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Shivraj's Take
What's actually happening in West Lake Hills right now
West Lake Hills sells on schools and trees, not square footage. Eanes ISD is the magnet. Smart buyers focus on the lot, the canopy, and walkability to downtown, not granite countertops.
— Shivraj Grewal, Grewal RE Group · Updated May 2026