A town of 4,223, settled in 1842. Nearly 11.3% of it is conserved land.
The 3 things Buchanan does most differently from other towns.
1940 · Clark Equipment Co12 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 6 places on the National Register.
Be the first to start the conversation.
Nothing on the calendar.
Ordered by what stands out in Buchanan. Another town gets a different order.
Most working residents leave Buchanan for work: only 11% work in town. The top destinations are South Bend (10%), Niles (7%) and Niles (5%). Half commute less than 14 miles.
The median sale price was $230,000 in May 2026.
1.7 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. E B Clark Woods | 0.4 mi | 22 |
| 2. Bakertown Fen | — | 63 |
| 3. McCoy Creek Recreation Area | 0.2 mi | 18 |
The public schools Buchanan’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 76% of Michigan’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moccasin Elementary School | 2–4 | 354 | A− |
| Ottawa Elementary School | PK–1 | 230 | Not graded |
| Buchanan Middle School | 5–7 | 358 | B+ |
| Buchanan High School | 8–12 | 561 | B+ |
| Buchanan Virtual Academy | K–12 | 49 | B |
| Buchanan Step Up | K–12 | 15 | Not graded |
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 26% of U.S. communities.
Buchanan reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 70% report less.
Buchanan tracks Michigan closely on all 32 CDC measures.
Buchanan has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 65 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
6 places in Buchanan on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born in Buchanan.
City in Michigan, United States
Buchanan is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,300 at the 2020 census. The city is located at the southeast corner of Buchanan Township, about 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Niles.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
