TownOfBuchananSign, 2007
Buchanan’s story
165 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1954 on.
- 1861Buchanan is settled
BuchananWI
A town of 6,793, settled in 1861.
8 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
6,793
2025 Census estimate · −0.5% since 2020
Typical home
$420K
+1.8% in a year
Household income
$105K
median
Median age
49.9
years
Jobs based here
3,267
Balanced
TownGrade
A−
#107 of 357 in WI
Is Buchanan a good place to live?
Buchanan's standout: natural-hazard risk is low. Overall it grades A−, 107th among Wisconsin's 357 graded towns. Its schools rank ahead of 77% of Wisconsin towns. Only 60 of Wisconsin’s 869 towns score lower on civic life. Buchanan’s median age is 49.9 years, above both the Wisconsin town median (42.1 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Only 64 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score lower on history.
What makes Buchanan stand out
Where Buchanan beats most towns.
How Buchanan grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Buchanan is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 14% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →SchoolsA−Open →Jobs & incomeB+Open →HealthThedacare Regional Medical Center - Appleton 7.9 miles awayB+Open →Cost of livingC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.5 of 20; 2.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 2% conserved landCOpen →HistoryC−Open →Civic life0.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Buchanan: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Buchanan, and how to reach them.
PowerWe Energies20.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDarboy Sanitary Dist 1 water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offCombined Locks Yard Waste Site, 1 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Buchanan ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes54915, 5413054915 81% · 54130 19%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Buchanan.
Buchanan trades workers with Appleton and other neighbors, owes part of its health edge to its incomes and has colder winter nights than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Buchanan
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 86% of U.S. communities.
14risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
77%of WI districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Spirit School PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 288 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Wisconsin overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 49% of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (22% statewide). 17% of residents are under 18 in Buchanan. 38% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
49.9median age · WI 40.2
| Buchanan | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 17% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 32% | 29% |
BuchananWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
24%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school29%
Some college18%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s27%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.9 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Buchanan | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.2% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.5% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.7% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.7% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.2% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 24.3% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.6% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.8% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.1% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 29.4% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.7% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.9% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 27.4% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.7% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
HealthB+
Residents of Buchanan are healthier than 70% of U.S. towns
Against the 7,801 U.S. towns with household incomes like Buchanan’s, it is healthier than 51%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
Buchanan beats the Wisconsin average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 22% of Buchanan adults binge drink.
70%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Buchanan | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 11% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 30% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Buchanan | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.2% | 12.1% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.9% | 8% |
| More binge drinkers | 22.1% | 19% |
Thedacare Regional Medical Center - Appleton
7.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
62nd
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C+
A typical Buchanan home is worth about $420K
The typical Buchanan home is worth about $420,000, up 1.8% in a year, 25% above the Wisconsin typical home.
$420KZillow home value
| Buchanan | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 86% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,216 a month | $1,076 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Buchanan$420K
Wisconsin$337K
+1.8%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Buchanan, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
January nights average 10.4°: colder than most of the country, but milder than 77% of Wisconsin places with climate records; July afternoons average 81.2°.
Buchanan has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Buchanan’s January low is 10°F. About 49 inches of snow falls in a winter.
49″snow a winter
| Buchanan | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 10°F | 11°F | 22°F |
| July high | 81°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–29°
Spring34–54°
Summer58–79°
Fall39–58°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Most working residents commute out of Buchanan
Buchanan has about as many jobs (3,267) as working residents, but only 118 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 2,077 in 2013 to 3,267.
Most working residents leave Buchanan for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2013, Buchanan has added 1,190 jobs, to 3,267 in 2023. The median household income in Buchanan is $105,000.
4%work in town
| Buchanan | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 2.3% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 7% | 12% | 11% |
| Median household income | $105,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.5% | 8.4% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Buchanan4%
Appleton19%
Grand Chute7%
Fox Crossing6%
Neenah5%
9 mi
median commute distance
3,267
jobs based in Buchanan
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 48% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
1.6%conserved
| Buchanan | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.6% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
1.6%
conserved · 153 of 9,560 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Coenen Park | 0.4 mi | 9 |
| 2. Memorial Park | — | 8 |
| 3. Hickory Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 24 attractions →Lambeau Field and 16 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Buchanan. Close and well known come first.
Big draw18 mi Stadium & arenaLambeau Field
19 mi LakeLake Winnebago
18 mi Stadium & arenaResch Center
18 mi MuseumNational Railroad Museum
31 mi MuseumUSS Cobia
22 mi Theme parkBay Beach Amusement ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lambeau Field: JL1Row, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lake Winnebago: self, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Resch Center: User Royalbroil on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5 · National Railroad Museum: Dual Freq, CC BY 3.0 · USS Cobia: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Bay Beach Amusement Park: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Buchanan
18pages on Buchanan
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Buchanan
Lawrence UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Appleton8 mi$56,982 tuitionFox Valley Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Appleton11 mi$5,040 in-state tuitionSaint Norbert CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · De Pere14.7 mi$45,580 tuition
About 6 of every 100 Buchanan residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.
About Buchanan
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Buchanan is a town in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 6,857 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated community of Darboy is located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 17 sq mi
- Elevation
- 719 ft
- Area code
- 920
Buchanan’s neighbors
8 towns share a border with Buchanan.
Appleton next door grades lower for schools (C to Buchanan’s A−) and higher for cost of living (B+ to C+).
Combined LocksKaukaunaKimberlyKaukaunaHarrisonAppletonHollandWrightstownBuchanan
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan | #107 | A− | C+ | — | A− | B+ |
| Combined Locks | #8 | A+ | B+ | — | A | A− |
| Kaukauna | #30 | A | B+ | B+ | A− | B |
| Kimberly | #4 | A+ | B+ | — | A | B+ |
| Kaukauna | — | — | B− | — | A− | B+ |
| Harrison | #73 | A | C | — | A− | A |
| Appleton | #168 | B+ | B+ | C+ | C | B+ |
| Holland | — | — | C | — | A | B+ |
Kaukauna and Holland have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Buchanan, Combined Locks, Kimberly, Kaukauna, Harrison and Holland report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Buchanan with a neighbor →
Questions about Buchanan
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Buchanan, WI a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Buchanan grades A− overall, better than 82% of U.S. towns and #107 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades B+ for health and A− for schools.
Is Buchanan, WI expensive?
That is 4.9 years of the area's median household income ($85,825 across the Appleton, WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.