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
Lakeway
Opportunity: Lakeway is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
79 · Top 9%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth: Buda is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
85 · Top 2%
vs44 · Bottom 38%
Climate: Buda is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
68 · Bottom 40%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience: Lakeway is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
71 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 31%
Housing affordability: Buda is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs82 · Top 48%
Schools: Lakeway is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
67 · Top 30%
vs81 · Top 12%
Access: Buda is the more favorable of the two.
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability: Buda is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
82 · Top 5%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Buda | Lakeway | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,859 | 19,307 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,766 | $190,060 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,848 | $106,890 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,649/sq mi | 1,500/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $446,600 | $841,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,852 | $2,981 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.6% | 86.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.1% | 74.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 2.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 123 | 50 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 101.6% | -20.6% | 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 | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 29.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 49.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.66 | 14.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 49.0% | 53.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.6% | 55.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.5% | 31.7% | 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.
Lakeway
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Buda, TX · Lakeway, TX · How this is calculated: methodology