Looking for a neighborhood that seamlessly blends the historic and upscale? Old Enfield and Clarksville are two prestigious neighborhoods in Old West Austin that have a sophisticated charm unlike anywhere else.
Old Enfield and Clarksville are highly sought-after neighborhoods with a rich history. Not only are these two of the oldest neighborhoods in Austin, but they are also located in the heart of the city—just minutes from downtown, the University of Texas Austin, and central Austin.
This neighborhood guide highlights what makes Clarksville and Old Enfield special places where so many Austinites want to live.
Average Home Price*
Home Styles
Historic Homes, Pre-War Victorian Estates, Bungalows, Luxe Contemporary Mansions
Average Price/SqFt*
Walk Score
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Old Enfield and Clarksville residents enjoy privacy and seclusion while still being located close to the action of the city. Residents love living in these neighborhoods in Old West Austin because they blend historic charm with an unspoken sophistication and class.
Thinking about moving to Old Enfield or Clarksville? Before you start searching for the perfect home, here’s what you need to know about the neighborhoods and their real estate.
Clarksville and Old Enfield are unlike any other neighborhoods in Austin. These established neighborhoods offer a historic charm without losing their air of class and sophistication. The neighborhoods are smaller, more exclusive, and highly coveted due to their proximity to downtown.
While individual homes in these neighborhoods provide privacy, residents still experience the benefits of a tight-knit community. With long-standing community events and deep roots in history, these neighborhoods are ideal for those who are ready to put down or re-establish roots in the city of Austin.
Old Enfield and Clarksville offer a mix of historic homes that have been expanded and renovated as well as cutting-edge contemporary homes. With smaller early 1900s bungalows alongside large pre-war Victorian estates, the mix of real estate makes these neighborhoods in Old West Austin distinctive.
In these neighborhoods, you might find a large, luxe contemporary mansion next to a lime green retro house that hasn’t been updated since the 80s. It also wouldn’t be uncommon to see a 20-unit apartment complex next to a $20 million home. The mix of styles, sizes, and types of homes give Old Enfield and Clarksville a certain quirkiness that’s quintessentially Austin.
Due to their deep sense of history, Clarksville and Old Enfield very rarely have opportunities for residents to build new homes. Instead, the older homes are renovated and remodeled to include contemporary amenities. These more exclusive communities have fewer home opportunities in general. So be prepared to spend resources on renovating if you plan to move to the area.
The average home price of those homes sold on the public market in Clarksville is $1,476,331 or an average of $784 per square foot. The average home price of those homes sold on the public market in Old Enfield is $2M or an average of $673 per square foot.
This data is limited as many of the homes sold in these areas are done so privately. Both of these areas are highly desirable, so opportunities to purchase a home are few and far between. It is critical to have a realtor that knows the area well and has connections in the community to access off-market opportunities.
With a walkability score of 81, the Old West Austin area often finds itself on lists of the top walkable neighborhoods in Austin. While driving remains one of the most popular ways to get around the city of Austin, Clarksville and Old Enfield offer shaded sidewalks, plenty of space for biking, and a bus route that passes through the community.
Clarksville and Old Enfield are part of the Austin Independent School District and zoned for highly-rated public schools, including Matthews Elementary, Casis Elementary, O. Henry Middle School, and Stephen F. Austin High School. The area is also home to Kirby Hall School, a private K-12 preparatory school.
Featured Property in the Neighborhood
When it comes to restaurants in Clarksville and Old Enfield, there’s a little something for everyone. From fine dining establishments to more casual cafés, this area is home to a few of our favorites.
Jeffrey’s is a fine-dining restaurant in Clarksville that feels like a laid-back modern country club. This posh restaurant features upscale New American cuisine in a sophisticated space with 3 distinct dining rooms. Sundays are the best days to go for happy hour if you’re going to grab a bottle of wine. (It’s 50% off all night!)
Whether you’re stopping in for dinner or just having a more casual drink at the bar, be sure to try the crispy fried Gulf oysters. We’re also partial to the Texas peach and fennel salad. The goat cheese and candied cashews are *chef’s kiss*.
As the sister restaurant to Jeffrey’s, Josephine House is popular with locals with good reason. It offers an easy-going breakfast, lunch, brunch, happy hour, and dinner with an eclectic daily menu that features locally-sourced ingredients. They also host a steak frites night on Mondays.
Located in a small blue cottage in Clarksville, Josephine House has an intimate indoor dining area as well as outdoor seating with a beautiful wraparound patio. Visiting just isn’t the same experience without sipping on a Paloma, which you can get for just $10 during happy hour.
Swedish Hill is a bakery, deli, and café in a cozy space with a friendly ambiance. They serve coffee, tea, beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks alongside a full breakfast and lunch menu. Stop in with friends for a grazing board and glass of wine or enjoy a quick lunch on your own from the deli case.
All of the pastries here are worth a try. But we especially love the cakes. With different sizes, you can pick a large cake up for a birthday party or just grab a little 4-inch cake for yourself. (Don’t worry. We won’t tell anyone.)
Did you know that the best burger in town just happens to be at an oyster bar? Clark’s Oyster Bar is an upscale-casual seafood spot well known for its raw bar, house-baked sourdough, fresh fish, and lobster rolls. But in true keeping-Austin-weird fashion, it also happens to have arguably one of the best hamburgers in town.
Clark’s has an intimate indoor dining area with a marble and pecan bar as well as a shaded deck for dining al fresco. Reservations are recommended. And if you’re not one for hunting down the best street parking spot, you can take advantage of the valet parking or park in the Swedish Hill lot after 6 p.m.
Lin Asian Bar + Dim Sum is a Chinese restaurant and bar that specializes in Asian home cooking and dim sum dishes. As the first Asian bar restaurant in Austin, Lin Asian uses health-forward, organic ingredients from local suppliers.
If you’re stopping in for dim sum, note that there is only a limited dim sum menu on the weekdays. For the full menu, be sure to make it to Dim Sum Brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Do yourself a favor and make sure you try the Shanghai Soup Dumpling.
Galaxy Café truly embodies what Austin does best—really good food that’s out of the box. This locally-owned and operated establishment offers “food out of this world served just around the corner.” The ambiance is laid-back, friendly, and fun with a retro diner vibe.
They have a daily breakfast menu as well as a diverse lunch and dinner menu with everything from Buddha bowls to gourmet sandwiches. They also have a somewhat extensive gluten-free menu for those that need it.
While Clarksville and Old Enfield are close to downtown and other hip areas of Austin, there is still a lot to see and do within the neighborhood limits.
and someone from our team will connect with you.
Douglas Elliman
100 Congress Avenue
Suite 1445
Austin, TX 78701
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