Buda and Leander receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Buda
Leander
Opportunity
79 · Top 9%
vs81 · Top 7%
Growth
85 · Top 2%
vs69 · Top 19%
Climate
68 · Bottom 40%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
71 · Top 35%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 24%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
68 · Top 29%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs85 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
82 · Top 5%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Buda | Leander | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,859 | 74,067 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,766 | $139,048 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,848 | $60,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,649/sq mi | 1,909/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $446,600 | $506,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,852 | $1,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.6% | 73.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.1% | 53.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 5.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 123 | 849 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 11.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 101.6% | -44.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.6" | 33.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 36.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.04 | 13.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 49.0% | 46.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.6% | 53.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.5% | 17.2% | 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.
Leander
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Buda, TX · Leander, TX · How this is calculated: methodology