The Town FilesBuchanan Dam, Texas
Community in Llano County · population 1,508 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $288,900
- Household income
- $56,429
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 59.9
Buchanan Dam is a community of 1,508 people in Llano County, Texas. The median home is worth $288,900, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Texas towns, quieter than 99% of Texas towns, better for a vacation home than 99% of Texas towns.
How Buchanan Dam ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Buchanan Dam is worth $288,900, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 5.1 times the median household income of $56,429, which is more affordable than 5% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,030 a month. 78.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Buchanan Dam | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $288,900 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,030 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $56,429 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.1× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 78.1% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 23.5% | — |
Who lives in Buchanan Dam
| People | Buchanan Dam | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.9 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 37.7% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 12.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.1% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 16.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Buchanan Dam
July highs average 96.3°F and January lows 33.6°F. About 27.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 120 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 50 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buchanan Dam since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 7, 1975 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 9, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 1, 2025.
Severe weather in Llano County since 1996
Llano County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 6, 2025 | Flood | DR-4879: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Llano County
Llano County had 5,656 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,825 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Buchanan Dam itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Buchanan Dam
- Buchanan Lake Village, TX3.3 mi · 720 people · home $184,800
- Kingsland, TX10.3 mi · 7,028 people · home $230,700
- Burnet, TX13.5 mi · 6,436 people · home $277,400
- Llano, TX14.0 mi · 3,325 people · home $234,100
- Sunrise Beach Village, TX16.0 mi · 739 people · home $657,300
- Granite Shoals, TX16.5 mi · 5,129 people · home $259,800
- Horseshoe Bay, TX19.5 mi · 4,257 people · home $549,800
- Cottonwood Shores, TX19.5 mi · 1,403 people · home $264,100
Buchanan Dam questions
Is Buchanan Dam, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Buchanan Dam scores better for retirees than 99% of Texas towns and quieter than 99%. 37.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.9).
How much does a house cost in Buchanan Dam?
The median owner-occupied home in Buchanan Dam is valued at $288,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,429, so homes cost about 5.1 times income. Median rent is $1,030 a month.
What is the weather like in Buchanan Dam?
July highs average 96.3°F and January lows 33.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Buchanan Dam get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buchanan Dam since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 7, 1975. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)