How many bars and pubs are there in Austin's busiest areas?
We counted 169 bars and pubs within 1 km of the centres of 7 Austin areas. Downtown is the most crowded at 34.1 per km²; Hyde Park is the least, at 0.3.
Mapped
169
in 7 areas
Busiest area
34.1/km²
Downtown
Average rating
4.4★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Bars and pubs by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown4.3★ average | 10734.1/km² | 34.1 | 4.3★ | HIGH |
| East Austin4.5★ average | 3711.8/km² | 11.8 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
| South Congress4.5★ average | 72.2/km² | 2.2 | 4.5★ | LOW |
| The Domain4.4★ average | 72.2/km² | 2.2 | 4.4★ | LOW |
| South Lamar4.6★ average | 61.9/km² | 1.9 | 4.6★ | LOW |
| Mueller4.6★ average | 41.3/km² | 1.3 | 4.6★ | LOW |
| Hyde Park4.8★ average | 10.3/km² | 0.3 | 4.8★ | LOW |
Where is it least crowded?
- Hyde ParkLOW
1 bar within 1 km (0.3 per km²), averaging 4.8★.
- MuellerLOW
4 bars and pubs within 1 km (1.3 per km²), averaging 4.6★.
- South LamarLOW
6 bars and pubs within 1 km (1.9 per km²), averaging 4.6★.
Fewer bars and pubs is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 169 bars and pubs in the 7 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up73 (43%)
- 4.0 to 4.467 (40%)
- 3.5 to 3.912 (7%)
- Below 3.56 (4%)
- Under 10 reviews11 (7%)
Chains seen most
No brand has two outlets inside any one area circle: these areas are mostly independents.
Check competition at your exact address — free
Drop a pin on the street you have in mind and see every competitor around it on a map, with ratings and review counts. The scan is free with an account.
Questions
Is Austin saturated with bars and pubs?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 7 area centres we mapped, density runs from 0.3 per km² in Hyde Park to 34.1 per km² in Downtown. 1 of the 7 areas counts as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which Austin area has the most bars and pubs?
Downtown, with 107 within 1 km of its centre (34.1 per km²). Next come East Austin (37) and South Congress (7).
What is the average rating of bars and pubs in Austin?
4.4 out of 5, across the 158 bars and pubs with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is Hyde Park (4.8), the lowest Downtown (4.3).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every bar on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of Austin.