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Buda vs Melissa

235 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+89 pts in Melissa) and trails (7.8× in Buda).

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Buda, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 15,859 people
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Melissa, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 20,136 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 →
MelissaKnown for its schools
Schools#29 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$422K typical home41% above the TX typical home HealthHealthier than 80%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Melissa →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Growth since 2010+89 pts
Melissa has grown faster since 2010
Melissa +196.1%Buda +107.1%
Trails7.8×
Buda has more miles of trail
Buda 3.9 miMelissa 0.5 mi
Jobs per worker4.6×
Buda is more of a job hub
Buda 1.34Melissa 0.29
Rent+37%
Rent runs higher in Melissa
Melissa $2,532Buda $1,852
Homeowners+12.1 pts renters
Buda has more renters
Melissa 88.7%Buda 76.6%
Average commute5 min
Buda has the shorter commute
Melissa 34 minBuda 29 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Melissa places higher on 13 of 21 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 AMelissaSafer than 92% of U.S. towns
Schools
C+BudaBetter than 40% of districts in the state AMelissaBetter than 94% of districts in the state
Health
A−BudaHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns A−MelissaHealthier than 80% of U.S. towns
8Buda
13Melissa

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #484#1 Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #142#552 SafestSafety · 470 towns #238#13 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #235#23 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #256#476 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 632 towns #382#230 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #415#258 Shortest commuteGetting around · 653 towns #452#572

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 $390 more a month in Melissa

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 →
Melissa$2,750/mo
Typical home $422K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.51% · or rent about $2,532/mo · Housing →

The difference: $390 a month, about $4,700 a year, between Melissa and Buda.

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
BudaMelissa
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F34°F
July high96°F92°F
Growing season (days)273d254d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)45th58th
Outdoors & history
BudaMelissa
Trails4 mi1 mi
Conserved land5.2%0.1%
Settled18811853
National Register places3—
Archive photos—1
Famous people born here—1
Community
BudaMelissa
Library hours a week51 hrs40 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

235 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BudaTXMelissaTX
Buda ↔ Melissa235 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.

BudaMelissa
People
Population 15,859Lowest 20,136Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +107.1%Lowest TX: +15.9% +196.1%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 37.2±1.7Highest 4% above TX 36.3±1.5Lowest about the TX average
Buda and Melissa 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% 30.7%±4.5Highest TX: 25%
Melissa and Buda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 6.8%±1.9Highest TX: 13.4% 6.7%±1.8Lowest TX: 13.4%
Buda and Melissa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 50.1%Lowest TX: 33.8% 52.6%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.3%±2.2Lowest TX: 6.2% 6%±2.1Highest TX: 6.2%
Melissa 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±$8kLowest 58% above TX $138,763±$8kHighest 77% above TX
Melissa and Buda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $446,600±$35kLowest 57% above TX $454,000±$22kHighest 60% above TX
Melissa and Buda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,852±$139Lowest 32% above TX $2,532±$197Highest 80% above TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $7,911Highest 87% above TX $6,860Lowest 62% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.4%±14.1Lowest TX: 51.7% 53.9%±19.9Highest TX: 51.7%
Melissa and Buda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6%Highest TX: 13.8% 1.9%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.6%Lowest TX: 62.6% 88.7%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2012Lowest 20 yrs newer than TX 2015Highest 23 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minLowest 9% above TX 34 minHighest 26% above TX
Work from home 21.3%±4.6Lowest TX: 14.4% 29.4%±6Highest TX: 14.4%
Melissa and Buda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.9%Highest 2.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.34Highest 0.29Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Austin (50%)Dallas (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MelissaFew work in Buda
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.2%Highest 0.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 3.9 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 51.0Lowest 70.3Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #111 of 583 in TX#29 of 583 in TX
School district HAYS CISDMELISSA ISD
High school in town Moe and Gene Johnson H SMelissa H S
Students per teacherat that high school 19.7Highest 14.5Lowest
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.

Melissa neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Melissa’s Town Square.

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Set another town beside Buda and Melissa

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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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