Summary
Montopolis is a low income, mainly Latino neighborhood located very close to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. One of the poorest neighborhoods in the city in terms of income, it has suffered a reputation for being rundown and crime-infested.
However, residents are starting to come together to try to improve the neighborhood. Also, with the tremendous growth in central Texas, the city of Austin is finalizing a master plan to upgrade east Austin, to include this neighborhood. There are some parks and recreation centers in the area.
Features
Montopolis dates back to the early 1800s when it was established as a townsite separate from the city. It was named for its location on the top of a hill and nearly became the capital of the Republic of Texas.
In the early Twentieth Century the neighborhood began experiencing huge immigration of Mexicans, which has continued to the present. The neighborhood was fully annexed by Austin in the 1970s.
Today, the neighborhood of about 7,000 people is over 80 percent Latino, 10 percent African American, and seven percent Caucasian. With an average age of around 26, the population is younger than the city average.
Median household income is about 40 percent below Austin’s average. About two-fifths of Montopolis residents are below the poverty line. Educational attainment is also below average for the city – over half of adult residents lack a high school diploma. Noise from the nearby international airport can also be a problem.
Housing is quite affordable in Montopolis, with many houses priced in the $100K range or below. The Montopolis Recreation Center and park has a gymnasium, kitchen, boxing room, showers, and dressing rooms, as well as a playscape, swimming pool, and playing field. Citivan Park has a swimming pool, playing field, playground, picnic tables and BBQ grills, and basketball and tennis courts.
There is also the Montopolis Friendship Center, a low-cost, volunteer-run day care and community center. The Riverside Golf Course is adjacent to the neighborhood and there are some barbecue and Mexican restaurants nearby. The neighborhood is bounded by Hwy. 183 and Hwy 71, two major local highways, and public bus lines run through the area. In addition to houses there are apartment complexes and trailer parks in the area.
Neighborhood Association WebsiteViews From the Street
| Lily Terrace | Lynch Ln. and Thrasher Ln. | Vasquez St. |
| Fairway St. | Uphill Ln. | Atwood St. |
| Cimarron Dr. and Cody Dr. | Coriander Dr. |
Facts and Figures
Neighborhood ProfileCommunity Information
ShoppingReal Estate and Apartments
Montopolis has mostly two- and three-bedroom homes built in the 1960s to 1980s. Prices average in the low $100K range, with many houses priced below that.
Montopolis, Austin, Texas
Zip code: 78741