The 11 Best Neighborhoods to Live in San Antonio

Home to mouthwatering south Texas BBQ, the world’s highest vertical loop roller coaster, and some of the biggest Basketball fans in the US, San Antonio has a lot going for it.

Coined by Amazon as the most romantic city in the US—going on product purchases—the big city still manages to deliver little town vibes with its green spaces and river-side strolls. Plus, low taxes, good real-estate, and a few Fortune 500 companies are turning heads in San Antonio’s direction. Young professionals, families, and students are quickly flocking south to call San Antonio home.

Yet, picking where that home is exactly is tough. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. We’ve ranked San Antonio’s 11 most popular neighborhoods to help you pin down your perfect location. We’ve researched and built a ranking system that covers:

• Atmosphere: nightlife & entertainment, shopping & restaurants, and beauty & parks

• Amenities: schools, public transit, and points of interest

• Experience: safety, affordability, and walkability

The end result is a prioritized list of the perfect places to pick in San Antonio, Texas. Why listen to us? We’ve been building fabulous yet affordable rental experiences—across the country—for a while now. We’ve learned a thing or two along the way.

Perfect for young families looking for a friendly neighborhood, with downtown just around the corner.

Alta Vista is one of the older neighborhoods in San Antonio. It's actually a Neighborhood Conservation District (NCD). Although these districts don't have any historical significance yet, NCDs are important neighborhoods and part of the city's identity. In return, the San Antonio council preserves and protects these areas, crowning Alta Vista as one of these well-kept gems.

Alta Vista is home to some of San Antonio's highlights, including the San Pedro Playhouse, a public theater–perfect for making something special of your nights out. There's also the San Pedro Springs Park and Lake, one of the oldest public parks not only in San Antonio but in the United States!

Despite having the theater and a few restaurants, it currently has only a handful of bars. The good news? It won't take much to pick a favorite. The bad news? It didn't help the neighborhood's nightlife and entertainment rank on our books—2/5.

Like many of the other neighborhoods in San Antonio, Alta Vista's neighborhood association is an active one. It organizes events throughout the year, like PorchFEST, Neighborhood Night Out, Holiday Party, movie screenings, historical park tours, and delicious potluck picnics–all perfect for creating a vibrant and close-knit community that'll welcome you with open arms and porches.

The area is very residential, making it quaint and reasonably safe–scoring 3/5 in safety.

One of the best perks of the area is its homey vibes. Once filled with large multi-story family homes, many have been transformed into apartments with multiple units. This keeps the look of the area homey, despite adapting to demand–staying affordable for those that don't need all that space.

There are quite a few shops in the neighborhood, but two stand out as fan favorites. First, Arthur Pfeil Smart Flowers—for all you budding plant moms and dads out there. The other favorite is Ruckman Haus Bed and Breakfast, bringing countryside hospitality to the heart of the city for when the folks are in town.

Alta Vista's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how Alta Vista scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for families looking for an affordable area away from the hustle and bustle.

El Dorado is an affordable neighborhood perfect for families with kids of all ages. This relatively quiet neighborhood is filled with mid-sized homes and everything families need. It has solid schools scoring a 3/5 on our books. There's not much variety but, schools are on the national average.

There are also plenty of parks, with playgrounds and activities to enjoy with the kids on those long weekends–Lady Bird Johnson Trailhead, McAllister Park, and Comanche Lookout Park are all local hangouts—another 3/5.

When it comes to stores and restaurants, El Dorado scores a solid 4/5, thanks to Nacogdoches Road. Here, there's something for every foodie: from deliciously authentic Mexican tacos to mouthwatering barbecue joints that the south is so famous for.

The neighborhood is also home to the El Dorado Private Lake Park, a beautiful park perfect for a Sunday stroll or a picnic on those hot summer days that Texas thrives in.

Plus, for the golf fans, the Northern Hills Golf Club is a short drive away.

Keep in mind you'll need to take your driving skills off the golfing green and onto the roads if you want to live in this neighborhood—most things are a short drive. But, there's no shortage of parking!

Although there are some bus stops, El Dorado isn't well connected to the rest of the city—scoring a 2/5 in our public transit ranking.

El Dorado's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how El Dorado scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for San Antonio College or Trinity University students looking for good coffee and better nightlife as part of their five-a-day.

Monte Vista is the biggest Historic District in the United States and one of the oldest. Founded in 1980, it's a beacon of architectural pride for the city and a vibrant blend of commercial-residential land use with historic preservation.

The neighborhood boasts an attractive mix of architecture: Queen Anne, Hollywood Bungalow, Georgian, Tudor, Moorish, and Victoria-era. They give the area a unique feel, and its tree-lined streets are the cherry on top.

Monte Vista's proximity to Trinity University and San Antonio College makes it a perfect place for students. Plus, its many cafés are perfect caffeine-fulled study headquarters.

In Monte Vista, you'll have a mix of neighbors. You'll be brushing shoulders with quite a few retirees who enjoy the quiet and safe area–with a score of 4/5 for safety. Plus, you've got some large families enjoying these big historical homes and some of the best private schools in the city–scoring a 3/5. Lastly, it's of students who live in the area. There are so many that most of the food options available are cheap student-friendly hangouts.

Monte Vista is a great central location, just a few miles away from the San Antonio River and River Walk, as well as a stone's throw from some of the city's best restaurants and bars. If you need more, then Downtown is practically on your doorstep.

Monte Vista's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how Monte Vista scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for 30-50 something business people–even better for dogs with their outdoorsy humans. Affordable, safe, and green.

Beacon Hill was named the 10th most affordable neighborhood in the United States for a reason–and scored a 5/5 in affordability for us. It's filled with budget-friendly family homes, condominiums, and mid-rise buildings.

The area is also LGBTQ+ friendly, and the southern edge of Beacon Hill is only one mile away from The Pride Center of San Antonio–a safe space that builds and helps the LGBTQ+ community of San Antonio.

The community of Beacon Hill is known for being close-knit, with an active Facebook page to keep everyone up-to-date with what's going on.

Beacon Hill is perfect for those pups that enjoy taking their humans out for long walks. There are plenty of nearby dog parks, and the neighborhood's shops and restaurants are all human and pet-friendly.

Beacon Hill, with its big front porches, gardens, and quiet residential vibes, is truly perfect for those who love idyllic Sunday strolls–scoring a 4/5 for its beauty and parks.

Lastly—the neighborhood's crown jewel–the beautiful community garden. This green space is the perfect doorstep retreat for anyone looking to destress from the day's hustle and bustle.

Beacon Hill's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how Beacon Hill scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young professionals, with a car, ready to be entertained!

We're starting to close in on our top neighborhoods of San Antonio. Just around the corner from the airport, North Central is perfect for those looking to catch flights, not feelings. Plus, it has easy access to some go-to highways.

North Central is definitely an entertainers neighborhood, with a healthy supply of things to do. You've got the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, which not only has great comedians–local and on tour–but is also famous for some delicious cocktails to make your nights even better.

There's also the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Park North, where you can catch the latest flick with curated pre-shows for true movie lovers. Psst. The bottomless popcorn is top-notch. If films aren't your thing, you can enjoy some of the special events they host, like sing-alongs!

North Central is a great shout for families. You've got Urban Air Adventure Park. Or, if you've got older kids, the Olmos Basin golf club is a stone's throw away.

The only downside the area has is that although it's pretty safe–scoring a 4/5 for safety–it really isn't that walkable–scoring a 2/5–you'll need your car to get real value out of living in this neighborhood.

North Central 's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how North Central scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for retiring couples and old-at-heart families looking for safety, appreciate history, and don’t mind discovering a new restaurant or two.

King William is a neighborhood that, although close to downtown, has managed to remain pretty safe–scoring a 5/5 in our books. The river walks and cozy front porches bring homely, plant-parent vibes to the area–helping to score it 4/5 for beauty and parks.

Thanks to its well-kept sidewalks, King William also scores a standout 5/5 in walkability. You'll find restaurants, stores, and grocery shops just around every corner.

King William is one of the most historically-rich neighborhoods in San Antonio. This comes with many perks but some downsides too.

The main advantage of the rich history is that the area's aesthetics are a magnificent reminder of its rich history. When you find your home here, there's a high chance you'll have some unique architectural touches about the place.

However, the disadvantages are that due to the same historic relevance of these homes, it's tricky to modify them, and they tend to be pretty expensive if you want to buy.

If King William is your calling, you'll love the proximity to downtown, the beautiful homes, and its high walkability. All of this helps the neighborhood rank as one of our top neighborhoods to live in San Antonio.

King William's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how King William scored:

• Affordability: 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young San Antonio College students who love cozy coffee shops, new restaurants, and a farmer’s market lifestyle.

The final five! Tobin Hill scores top marks for Nightlife & Entertainment, Points of Interest, Shopping & Restaurants, and Walkability.

Tobin Hill comes with an old-time feel with the big front and back yards that many houses have. The neighborhood has been revamped in the past couple of years, drawing in a young, diverse crowd.

75% of people in Tobin Hill are renters and 25% owners; it means the neighborhood has a healthy turnover of residents—keeping things fresh.

Tobin Hill is a people's favorite for its walkability. You can walk to Brackenridge Park, San Antonio College, and a healthy selection of restaurants and bars to pick from—many of which are proudly LGBTQ+ friendly.

Plus, this San Antonio neighborhood is not far from downtown and the famous River Walk that you can find there.

One of the best things about Tobin Hills is The Pearl, also known as the Historic Pearl or Pearl Brewery. The Pearl is a vibrant hub packed with restaurants, bars, galleries and holds a farmer's market every weekend.

Another of Tobin Hill's highlights is on the river—The Grotto. This art piece is made out of Faux Bois (false wood) by third-generation concrete artist Carlos Cortés. This unique structure has craggy faces carved into cave-like walls. With waterfalls and incredibly realistic stalagmites, it's a pretty inspirational spot to hang out.

However, not everything in Tobin Hill is perfect. Sadly, the safety of the area is not great. It scores 2/5 for safety in our rankings, and has a homeless encampment near McLane and E. Euclid Avenue that neighbors regularly complain about.

Despite this, the area is still filled with friendly neighbors–a recurrent comment when you read about Tobin Hill.

Tobin Hill's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how Tobin Hill scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for young professionals who are single and looking to ming—dance.

Lavaca is, without a doubt, one of the best neighborhoods in San Antonio. What it might be lacking in terms of safety and schools–scoring 3/5 in both–it compensates with an amazing neighborhood community and plenty to do.

Lavaca's neighborhood association is a dream. They have a weekly Happy Hour get-together that started back in 2010. The Happy Hour has gotten so popular that people from nearby neighborhoods come and join and feel the Lavaca lifestyle.

In October, they also have a Block Party, a neighborhood Potluck dinner in January, and they run 'house crawls,' and art shows at neighbors' homes throughout the year.

There's more! For the sporty folk, there's the River City Run—perfect for those joggers who like a spot of sight-seeing with a friendly bunch of road runners.

Since Lavaca is a downtown neighborhood, it has plenty of events and things on offer–scoring a 5/5 in both Shopping & Restaurants, and Entertainment & Nightlife. Plus, there's the Alamodome nearby, a domed arena for sports, conventions, concerts, and more.

Lavaca is also home to the Illusions Theater and the Alamo Bowl. If that doesn't tickle your pickle, there are plenty of music halls to pick from and a well-known comedy club called Jokester 22 Pub 'N' Grub.

HemisFair park sits nearby, known for the iconic 750-foot Tower of the Americans, the Institute of Texas Cultures, its beautiful fountains, and playground–perfect for kids aged six to 60!

Lavaca has a young population, with a median age of 34. 38% of the neighborhood is occupied by families, and the rest is a blend of retirees, young professionals, and some students.

With Lavaca's huge variety, you're guaranteed to never get bored–and will probably find a sidekick—or two—for your adventures in no time at all!

Lavaca's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how Lavaca scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for retirees, families and nature lovers.

Here we are, the top three neighborhoods to live in San Antonio, and it's a tie on the podium!

With the botanical garden and the many parks in the area, Alamo Heights is a top family-orientated neighborhood. You've got the Zoo, plenty of family-friendly restaurants, and a safety score of 5/5, making it an ideal area for grandparents looking to take the little ones off your hands for a while.

There's a lot of old money in this part of San Antonio, which has led to some comfortable, livable conditions. The neighborhood scores top marks for schools, beauty & parks, and points of interest. Alamo Heights also has some stunning homes.

Looking for more to do? There are plenty of quaint cafés, restaurants, vintage boutiques, and high-end gift shops.

Although it's a 10-min drive from Downtown, it's one of the quietest neighborhoods in San Antonio, which explains why this neighborhood is filled with retirees and families with young children.

Of course, all of these perks come at a price. Alamo Heights isn't cheap—scoring 1/5 for affordability–but it's a great option in San Antonio if you can afford it.

Alamo Heights's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how Alamo Heights scored:

• Affordability: 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for families with young children. Flooded with daycare centers, parks galore and top schools.

Our other tie-breaking neighborhood on the podium is Olmos Park. This is one of the safest neighborhoods in San Antonio, scoring 4/5 in our safety rankings.

You'll quickly notice a few billionaires are among your neighbors too. Big-shot businessmen like Red McCombs, Rodney Lewis, and AT&T chairman and CEO Randall L. Stephenson are some of those you'll be brushing shoulders with.

Although it is pretty safe, with great schools and billionaire neighbors, Olmos Park has prices for everybody–scoring 4/5 in affordability. From very expensive homes to affordable rentals—it makes the area ideal for families to nest up.

Many families choose Olmos Park due to the safety of the area, as well as the access to high-quality schools–scoring 5/5. It's in the Alamo Heights school district.

Additionally, there's a lot for kids and families to enjoy: Olmos Park, Crockett Park, HemisFair Park, and Mahncke Park are all at your doorstep and ideal for picnics or long coffee-fueled walks.

Olmos Park is a fairly walkable part of the city, with many little cafés and restaurants if you're looking to rest your legs and fill your belly. There aren't that many bars or clubs, so it's not a place for the night owls, but there are plenty of restaurants offering food from all over: Latin to high-end sushi.

Olmos Park's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how Olmos Park scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability:🚶🏽‍♀️🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Perfect for families wanting to settle down in San Antonio. The best neighborhood to live in San Antonio

Here we are; the wait is over. May we present the best neighborhood to live in San Antonio in 2022. Terrel Hills is truly one of San Antonio's best neighborhoods–its safety, schools, and things to do in the neighborhood are all rated 5/5 with us!

About one-third of its inhabitants are families, and the rest are working adults and retirees. The neighborhood scores top marks for Beauty & Parks, Nightlife & Entertainment, Points of Interest, Safety, Schools, and Shopping & Restaurants. It snatches our rankings crown by just one mark!

Terrel Hills gives its residents a fabulous suburban feel, with massive yet historic houses and beautifully remodeled Mid-century homes. Its community is very close-knit, thanks to its safety. You'll see kids and adults out and about with their dogs or riding their bikes–giving Terrel Hills not just a suburban feel but an almost small-town feel.

Terrel Hills is well located, it has access to all main highways, and is not far from downtown or the airport—depending on where you want your weekends to take you!

Terrel Hills's Rankings:

Rankings: Weighted rankings were determined by scoring neighborhoods on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories with 5 being the best. Here's how Terrel Hills scored:

• Affordability: 💸 💸

• Beauty & Parks: 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

• Nightlife & Entertainment: 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

• Points of Interest: 📍📍📍📍📍

• Public Transit: 🚃 🚃 🚃

• Safety: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

• Schools: 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎

• Shopping & Restaurants: 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍 🛍

• Walkability::🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️ 🚶🏽‍♀️

Let’s wrap up our rankings for the best neighborhoods to live in for San Antonio, Texas. Here’s what you need to know before making your move.

When we look at the numbers, San Antonio neighborhoods stand out for their shopping and restaurant options, as well as their beauty and parks. It also does well for points of interest.

Where does San Antonio fall short? The neighborhoods notably don’t have great options for schools or public transportation. At the same time, San Antonio is a pretty average city when it comes to affordability—famed for its low taxes, real estate costs remain high.

When we take a step back and look at the totals, San Antonio scored 36/50 on our list of US cities to live in for 2022.

If you’re considering moving here, you’ll need to assess your priorities, and you’ll deal-breakers. If you’re looking for an up-and-coming city with good food, tight communities, and a cherished past, then San Antonio may be just the place for you!