State Highway 29 Bridge at the Colorado River · Photo: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Buchanan Dam is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns
Buchanan Dam differs from Texas on 21 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Buchanan Dam. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Buchanan Dam
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Buchanan Dam
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.7%), more than twice the Texas rate. 1 in 9 adults have heart disease (11.7%), about twice the Texas rate. COPD is also above the state: 11.9%, vs 5.7% across Texas. In all, Buchanan Dam runs above Texas on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Buchanan Dam is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Buchanan Dam is healthier than 26%. Against the 7,859 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$71K), it’s healthier than 46%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Buchanan Dam, and more people treating it
49.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Texas 33.1%), but 85.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 74.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Buchanan Dam keeps up with checkups
It beats Texas on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (82% vs 73.8%) and dentist visits (60.4% vs 54.6%). Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Texas figure falls outside Buchanan Dam’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Buchanan Dam’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buchanan Dam is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 83% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 4%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Buchanan Dam’s median household income is $56,429; among the 7,859 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$71K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Where Buchanan Dam compares well: binge drinking, 12.4% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 82% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 91.2% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Buchanan Dam adults…
Buchanan Dam runs above TX on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Buchanan Dam is an older town: 38% of residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Buchanan Dam as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Buchanan Dam adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Care in and near Buchanan Dam
No hospital or community health center in Buchanan Dam itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Buchanan Dam; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
7.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Buchanan Dam adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Buchanan Dam does better than Texas.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.9% of Buchanan Dam adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Buchanan Dam and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan Dam | C | 38.3% | 18.4% | 15.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Buchanan Dam adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Buchanan Dam
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Buchanan Dam is better than Texas on 12 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Buchanan Dam’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Buchanan Dam | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.4%21.3–29.7 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15–20.1 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%12.9–16.9 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.3%29.9–47.3 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 18.4%15.8–21.2 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 49.7%44.8–54.6 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 47.4%42.3–52.4 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 40%35.7–44.3 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.6 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.7%12.3–15.1 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.7%10.3–13.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.9%9.8–14.1 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.8%5–6.6 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.3–14.2 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.2%12.2–18.6 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%25.1–36.7 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.4%10.1–15.1 | 17% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.4%27.5–41.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.7%8.5–13.4 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82%78.7–85 | 73.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.4%56.7–64.2 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.2%89.8–92.6 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 85.4%82.6–87.8 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.5%65.2–75.3 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.8%62.1–78.6 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.2%18.9–25.9 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%18.6–25.2 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%6.5–8.5 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%5–6.2 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.9%6.1–7.9 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.5%34–45.1 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.8%19.2–26.6 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.6–15.8 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.4%10.9–14.1 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%5.7–7.8 | 6.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10%8.4–11.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%4.7–6.5 | 4% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Texas figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Buchanan Dam
Is Buchanan Dam a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buchanan Dam is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Buchanan Dam?
CDC estimates 38.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.9% and 47.3%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Buchanan Dam?
Ascension Seton Highland Lakes in Burnet, 10.1 miles in a straight line from Buchanan Dam’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Buchanan Dam have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.5–13.4%), against 19.1% across Texas.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Buchanan Dam more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Buchanan Dam.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Texas figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.