North Loop, Austin, TX

Many residents in North Loop have lived in the area for many years, so interesting and local people abound. Surrounding businesses are locally owned, so many business owners and their loyal patrons live in the area. Still relatively close to the University of Texas, there are plenty of students and professors who live here. Recent years have seen an influx of a more and more diverse crowd of people looking to get great deals on old bungalows to fix up. In 2000, the census showed the population of the area was 5,393 residents, but it's no doubt grown substantially in these past 8 years. Laidback, casual and friendly, North Loop residents offer the same brand of Austin charm as many other of the city's neighborhoods.

The North Loop may not have many places to hang out, but the ones they do are memorable. Certainly there are great local coffeeshops to spend a lazy afternoon at, like Epoch Coffee‎ and Flightpath Coffeehouse‎. Several bars such as Barflys‎ and Bikinis Bar & Grill‎ entertain the late night crowds, where more casual restaurants like Burger Tex‎  or the great pizza joing the Parlor‎ fill you up with tasty food.

For the time being, rental prices are staying pretty low, compared to the rest of the city. You can expect to pay in the low $500s-$600s for studios and one bedrooms, and 2 bedroom apartments rarely get over $800. Houses for rent could be in the low $1000s or even less. The real decision to be made is whether the North Loop has enough amentities for your specific needs now. Though lots of plans are in the works to improve the aesthetics of the North Loop and bring in essentials like grocery stores, pharmacies and banks, they're not quite in the area yet.

Lots of transportation improvements are in the neighborhood plan for the North Loop. The area is relatively close to UT and a short drive to downtown, but main roads through the neighborhood can get clogged during peak hours, especially Lamar and I-35. There are bus stops in the neighborhood, so downtown and UT can be accessed through public transportation. Parking is pretty plentiful here, seen on the street and in lots. Bikes can be seen in the neighborhood, and while bike lanes and better sidewalks are in the works, bikers and pedestrians should ride and walk with caution.

With many areas of Austin, Craigslist is going to be the way to go to find good rental spots. Supply used to be able to keep up with demand in terms of rental places in recent years, but with the area growing in popularity it might be a good idea to give good deposits for any places you do find and love. Do spend time during the day and night at any potential places you find, to make sure you feel safe and comfortable in the area.

With no parks or green spaces in the immediate area, the North Loop isn't the friendliest dog and pet neighborhood, but there certainly are a number of owners with pets of all varieties. You can hear and see dogs in backyards throughout the residential parks and people definitely take their pets for walks around the neighborhood. A vet office on the border between Hyde Park and North Loop, Hyde Park Animal Clinic‎, is close enough to service all North Loop pets. And, the North Loop being centrally located means it's a close enough drive to great animal-friendly places like the greenbelts or dog parks.

Certainly visiting all the great bars and restaurants mentioned above is entertaining for the North Loop area, but this is also the sort of neighborhood where neighbors might gather on their porches or backyards for beers and casual get togethers. Shopping is great way to be entertained in the North Loop area, with the neighborhood sporting a few of Austin's best vintage stores, like Hog Wild Texas Vintage‎and Room Service Vintage‎. The neighborhood also boasts a great alternative book store, Monkeywrench Books, where residents can spend hours leisurely skimming book titles.

North Loop the road intersects the North Loop neighborhood, and is a hotbed of shopping, eating and entertainment, housing many of the establishments mentioned in this article already. Parking is usually plentiful, and the hours of operation can be found on individual business websites.

The Snappy Mart‎ on East 51st can satisfy your immediate grocery needs in North Loop, but big shopping trips will have to be done at larger grocery stores in nearby neighborhoods.

North Loop residents will have to get their exercise in home or in another neighborhood, as there are no gyms in the immediate area.

Banking can be done at several banks located on the perimeter of the neighborhood, like Nizari Progressive Federal Credit Union‎ and Greater Texas Federal CU‎.

Royal Cleaners‎ on North Loop serves area residents' dry cleaning needs.

Two pharmacies, a Walgreens‎ and a CVS/pharmacy‎ are located within the North Loop neighborhood.

There aren't any schools in the North Loop area, and one church, Primitive Baptist Church‎, is located within North Loop neighborhood. And while not all life's conveniences are located immediately within the neighborhood itself, remember that the North Loop is very close to other neighborhoods, like Brentwood and Hyde Park, so essentials are never too far. The North Loop is a unique part of Austin, and with low housing prices, it might just be the perfect spot for a young family looking for some of that Austin "weird" charm.