Buda receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Buda
Austin
Opportunity
79 · Top 9%
vs77 · Top 11%
Growth
85 · Top 2%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
68 · Bottom 40%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
71 · Top 35%
vs75 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 24%
vs63 · Bottom 24%
Schools
68 · Top 29%
vs54 · Top 46%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
82 · Top 5%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Buda | Austin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,859 | 979,539 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,766 | $93,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,848 | $62,862 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,649/sq mi | 3,001/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $446,600 | $555,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,852 | $1,729 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.6% | 43.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.1% | 59.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 123 | 7,547 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 7.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 101.6% | -4.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.6" | 36.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 25.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 246 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.04 | 14.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 49.0% | 36.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.6% | 44.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.5% | 53.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Buda
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Austin
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Buda, TX · Austin, TX · How this is calculated: methodology