78744 is the fast-changing southeast corner of South Austin, a ZIP code in Austin, Travis County, roughly 8 to 10 miles from downtown and right next to the airport. It's the area's new-construction frontier, home to Easton Park, one of Austin's biggest master-planned communities, with brand-new homes starting in the $300s, McKinney Falls State Park on its doorstep, and major investment pouring in. If you want a newer home with more space and room to grow, at some of the most accessible prices in South Austin, 78744 is where a lot of buyers are landing.
Here's a quick drive through 78744 so you can get a feel for the area:
78744 sits in the southeast corner of Austin, inside Travis County, tucked right up against Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. It runs roughly from the East William Cannon and Ben White area in the north down toward McKinney Falls and Onion Creek in the south, with I-35 to the west and the airport to the east. Neighboring ZIPs include 78745 to the west and 78747 to the south. Its position next to the airport and near SH-71 and US-183 is a big part of why it's growing so fast.
78744 is the part of South Austin that's changing the fastest. Where a lot of the ZIPs closer in are established and mostly built out, 78744 is where the new construction is happening, anchored by huge master-planned communities and a steady wave of new amenities. It draws a lot of first-time buyers, growing families, and people who want a newer home with more space at a price that still makes sense. It's car-friendly and spread out, and because it borders the airport, some pockets get flight noise, which is worth checking street by street. The trade for being a little further southeast is real value and a community that's clearly on the way up.
The marquee community here is Easton Park, one of the largest master-planned developments in Austin and still only about halfway built out. It offers multiple builders, homes starting in the $300s, and a full range of housing from single-family to townhomes, condos, and apartments, along with its own amenity center, trails, and parks. Worth knowing before you fall for a floor plan: Easton Park sits in a MUD, which pushes the tax rate higher than the rest of the area, so the real monthly cost is higher than the sticker suggests. My MUD and PID guide walks through exactly how to check that for any address. Just down the road, Goodnight Ranch is another master-planned option with fewer builders but the same new-community feel. Around these, 78744 also has plenty of older, more established pockets. The median sale price across the ZIP recently ran around $408,000, one of the more attainable numbers in South Austin.
This is one of 78744's quiet superpowers. McKinney Falls State Park is right here, a full state park within a few miles of downtown, with great hiking, the falls themselves, and Old Baldy, one of the oldest bald cypress trees in Texas. Onion Creek Metropolitan Park adds more hiking and walking trails, and inside Easton Park, Skyline Park is a standout with creative playgrounds, soft play areas, and water features for the kids. For how close in it is, that's a serious amount of outdoors.
Here's where I actually go in and around 78744.
To eat. Side Eye Pie at Meanwhile Brewing is my spot out here: the Pepperoni Homie with hot honey and a Meanwhile beer is a solid afternoon. Veracruz All Natural at Radio is the other must, their barbacoa is one of my favorites in all of Austin.
To drink. Pinthouse Pizza and Brewery makes what I think is the best beer in Austin, the Electric Jellyfish. If you haven't had it, do yourself a favor, and the pizza holds its own too.
Coffee. Radio Coffee East is my go-to when I have a meeting: the coffee's good, the layout is great, and the shaded outdoor seating on a nice morning is hard to beat.
To do. Roy Kizer and Jimmy Clay are two of my favorite golf courses in Austin, well kept, fairly priced, and busy without being overrun. There's a short course over there for anyone learning the game, plus a solid driving range.
78744 is split between two districts depending on where you are. Easton Park and much of the southeast fall in Del Valle ISD (feeding Del Valle High School), while other parts of the ZIP are Austin ISD. Because the line runs right through the area, the exact elementary, middle, and high school really do depend on the specific address, so I always confirm the current assignment for any home before you rely on it. Schools are one of the biggest questions out here, and it's one I can answer street by street.
78744's location is one of its selling points, especially if you fly a lot: you're minutes from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Downtown is generally a 15 to 20 minute drive off-peak using US-183, SH-71, or I-35, and East William Cannon, Slaughter Lane, and McKinney Falls Parkway carry most of the local traffic. At rush hour, budget more. As the area builds out, expect road improvements (and construction) along the main corridors.
The median sale price in 78744 is running around $408,000, one of the more attainable spots in South Austin, with a lot of new-construction inventory in Easton Park and Goodnight Ranch. Because so much is new build, builder incentives (rate buydowns, closing-cost help) are common and can matter as much as the price. Just remember the district math: an Easton Park home in a MUD carries a higher tax rate, so compare the real monthly number, not just the sticker. When you're ready I'll pull live figures and lay out the true cost for any specific home.
Whether you're relocating to South Austin or moving across town, I can give you a straight read on 78744, the new-construction communities, the school lines, and the real monthly cost with the tax districts included. Start with the free South Austin relocation guide, and if you're ready to talk homes, here's what buying or selling here looks like: the South Austin buyer's guide and the South Austin seller's guide. Since 78744 is so heavy on new construction, also see new construction in South Austin, and because Easton Park sits in a MUD, read the MUD and PID guide before you make an offer.
I'm Brandon Holley, Broker and Owner of Holley Homes Realty, and I live and work in South Austin. I've watched 78744 go from a few homes to the premier new-construction corner of the area, so I know Easton Park, Goodnight Ranch, and the district lines out here inside and out. With 175+ closings since 2016 across South Austin, Buda, Kyle, and Bastrop, and named a FastExpert 2026 Top Agent, I can give you a straight read on any street, school, or specific home.
Last updated: September 2026.