Mueller was the old Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. When the airport moved to ABIA, the city turned 700 acres into a mixed-use neighborhood. It's the closest thing Austin has to a walkable, bikeable, family-friendly urban village.
What Mueller has:
- The Thinkery — Austin's children's museum. Excellent for kids under 10.
- Alamo Drafthouse Mueller — One of the best Alamo locations. Movies + food + beer.
- HEB Mueller — The nicest HEB in Austin. Great prepared food section.
- Lake Park — A man-made lake surrounded by trails, playgrounds, and food trucks.
- Aldrich Street — The commercial strip with restaurants and shops. Colleen's Kitchen, Torchy's, and a mix of local spots.
Housing:
- A mix of single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and apartments. By Austin standards, it's dense.
- Home prices: $500-800K for single-family. Townhomes $400-600K. Apartments $1,400-2,200/mo.
- The yard setbacks are small. Houses are close together. If you want a big yard, this isn't it.
The vibe: Young families dominate. Strollers everywhere. Kids biking to the park. It's the most Portlandia section of Austin. Very progressive, very community-oriented, very intentional.
Criticism:
- It can feel sterile. Everything is new and planned. There's no historical character.
- It's a bubble. Mueller residents live in a curated world that doesn't reflect broader Austin realities.
Source: Mueller development website, Austin American-Statesman, personal visits
The "sterile" criticism is fair. It lacks the grit and character of East Austin or South Congress. But when you have a 3-year-old, grit is less important than sidewalks.