Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Melissa vs Buda

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

×
Melissa, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 20,136 people
×
Buda, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 15,859 people
Swap order
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.

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 →
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 →
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
AMelissaSafer than 92% of U.S. towns C+BudaSafer than 43% of U.S. towns
Schools
AMelissaBetter than 94% of districts in the state C+BudaBetter than 40% of districts in the state
Health
A−MelissaHealthier than 80% of U.S. towns A−BudaHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns
13Melissa
8Buda

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

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

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Melissa’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.

Melissa$2,750/mo
Typical home $422K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.51% · or rent about $2,532/mo · Housing →
Buda$2,360/mo
Typical home $351K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.77% · or rent about $1,852/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
MelissaBuda
Snow a year0″0″
January low34°F39°F
July high92°F96°F
Growing season (days)254d273d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th45th
Outdoors & history
MelissaBuda
Trails1 mi4 mi
Conserved land0.1%5.2%
Settled18531881
National Register places—3
Archive photos1—
Famous people born here1—
Community
MelissaBuda
Library hours a week40 hrs51 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.

MelissaTXBudaTX
Melissa ↔ Buda235 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.

MelissaBuda
People
Population 20,136Highest 15,859Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +196.1%Highest TX: +15.9% +107.1%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 36.3±1.5Lowest about the TX average 37.2±1.7Highest 4% above TX
Buda and Melissa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.7%±4.5Highest TX: 25% 27.9%±5.3Lowest TX: 25%
Melissa and Buda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 6.7%±1.8Lowest TX: 13.4% 6.8%±1.9Highest 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+ 52.6%Highest TX: 33.8% 50.1%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6%±2.1Highest TX: 6.2% 4.3%±2.2Lowest 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 $138,763±$8kHighest 77% above TX $123,766±$8kLowest 58% 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 $454,000±$22kHighest 60% above TX $446,600±$35kLowest 57% 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 $2,532±$197Highest 80% above TX $1,852±$139Lowest 32% above TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,860Lowest 62% above TX $7,911Highest 87% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.9%±19.9Highest TX: 51.7% 27.4%±14.1Lowest 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 1.9%Lowest TX: 13.8% 6%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88.7%Highest TX: 62.6% 76.6%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2015Highest 23 yrs newer than TX 2012Lowest 20 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 34 minHighest 26% above TX 29 minLowest 9% above TX
Work from home 29.4%±6Highest TX: 14.4% 21.3%±4.6Lowest 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 2.7%Lowest 4.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.8 miHighest 15.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.29Lowest 1.34Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Dallas (16%)Austin (50%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BudaFew work in Melissa
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.1%Lowest 5.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miLowest 3.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.3Highest 51.0Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #29 of 583 in TX#111 of 583 in TX
School district MELISSA ISDHAYS CISD
High school in town Melissa H SMoe and Gene Johnson H S
Students per teacherat that high school 14.5Lowest 19.7Highest
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.

Melissa neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Melissa’s Town Square.

Buda neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Buda’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Melissa and Buda

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Melissa

+ Compare
McKinney210,600 people · $472K homes
A
+ Compare
Anna24,330 people · $352K homes

Towns like Melissa

+ Compare
Katy25,184 people · $402K homes
S
+ Compare
Sachse30,491 people · $406K homes
+ Compare
Iowa Colony12,891 people · $406K homes
+ Compare
Cibolo35,109 people · $352K homes

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.

Post to Melissa

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in