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Buda vs Katy

122 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+51.8 pts in Buda) and jobs per worker (2.1× in Katy).

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Buda, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 15,859 people
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Katy, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 25,184 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BudaKnown for its schools
Schools#111 for schools in TXof 583 towns HealthHealthier than 84%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#142 most conserved land in TX3.9 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Buda →
KatyKnown for its schools
Schools#53 for schools in TXof 583 towns Work28,202 jobsbased in Katy, a regional job hub HealthHealthier than 89%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Katy →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+51.8 pts
Buda has grown faster since 2010
Buda +107.1%Katy +55.3%
Jobs per worker2.1×
Katy is more of a job hub
Katy 2.77Buda 1.34
Trails+67%
Katy has more miles of trail
Katy 6.5 miBuda 3.9 mi
Street grid+49%
Katy has the more walkable street grid
Katy 75.9Buda 51.0
Work in town+8.2 pts
More of Katy’s workers stay in town
Katy 13.1%Buda 4.9%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Katy places higher on 14 of 22 TX lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
C+BudaSafer than 43% of U.S. towns C−KatySafer than 17% of U.S. towns
Schools
C+BudaBetter than 40% of districts in the state AKatyBetter than 88% of districts in the state
Health
A−BudaHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns AKatyHealthier than 89% of U.S. towns
7Buda
14Katy

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #142#408 Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #484#271 SafestSafety · 470 towns #238#398 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #415#222 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #256#69 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #235#104 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 632 towns #382#231 Lowest obesityHealth · 652 towns #157#83

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Buda’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Buda$2,360/mo
Typical home $351K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.77% · or rent about $1,852/mo · Housing →
Katy$2,240/mo
Typical home $332K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.79% · or rent about $1,602/mo · Housing →

The difference: $120 a month, about $1,400 a year, between Buda and Katy.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
BudaKaty
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F—
July high96°F—
Growing season (days)273d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)45th57th
Outdoors & history
BudaKaty
Trails4 mi7 mi
Conserved land5.2%1%
Settled18811945
National Register places32
Community
BudaKaty
Library hours a week51 hrs47 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

122 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BudaTXKatyTX
Buda ↔ Katy122 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

BudaKaty
People
Population 15,859Lowest 25,184Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +107.1%Highest TX: +15.9% +55.3%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 37.2±1.7Lowest 4% above TX 37.6±2Highest 6% above TX
Katy and Buda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.9%±5.3Lowest TX: 25% 28.4%±3.5Highest TX: 25%
Katy and Buda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 6.8%±1.9Lowest TX: 13.4% 11.1%±1.8Highest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 50.1%Highest TX: 33.8% 48.8%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.3%±2.2Lowest TX: 6.2% 5.9%±1.6Highest TX: 6.2%
Katy and Buda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $123,766±$8kHighest 58% above TX $114,912±$16kLowest 46% above TX
Buda and Katy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $446,600±$35kHighest 57% above TX $401,700±$23kLowest 42% above TX
Buda and Katy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,852±$139Highest 32% above TX $1,602±$210Lowest 14% above TX
Buda and Katy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $7,911Highest 87% above TX $7,207Lowest 70% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.4%±14.1Lowest TX: 51.7% 63.6%±11.9Highest TX: 51.7%
Below poverty line 6%Lowest TX: 13.8% 8.1%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.6%Lowest TX: 62.6% 80.7%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2012Highest 20 yrs newer than TX 2003Lowest 11 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minLowest 9% above TX 31 minHighest 17% above TX
Work from home 21.3%±4.6Highest TX: 14.4% 18%±3.7Lowest TX: 14.4%
Buda and Katy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.9%Lowest 13.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miLowest 18.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.34Lowest 2.77Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Austin (50%)Houston (49%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in KatyFew work in Buda
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.2%Highest 1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 3.9 miLowest 6.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 mi 0.4 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 51.0Lowest 75.9Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #111 of 583 in TX#53 of 583 in TX
School district HAYS CISDARISTOI CLASSICAL ACADEMY · KATY ISD
High school in town Moe and Gene Johnson H SKaty H S
Students per teacherat that high school 19.7Highest 15.4Lowest
Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Buda neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Buda’s Town Square.

Katy neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Katy’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Buda and Katy

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Bordering Buda

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Kyle56,823 people · $335K homes
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Austin979,539 people · $555K homes

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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