Market Overview for McDade

There are 1 active listings in McDade with a median list price of $499K and a median sold price of $275K.

Homes average 56 days on market.

Over the past 30 days, 1 homes have sold, with 5 sales in the past 12 months.

The average price per square foot is $249.

About McDade

McDade is an unincorporated community of 720 residents (2020 census) in northern Bastrop County along U.S. Highway 290, approximately 35 miles east of Austin. The community covers about 4.0 square miles at an elevation of 515 feet, situated in the Lost Pines region of Central Texas where post-oak and loblolly pine forests transition into the Blackland Prairie.

McDade was established in 1869 in anticipation of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad and named for James W. McDade of Brenham, a major stockholder in the railroad. Early nicknames included "Tie City" or "Tie Town" from railroad ties stockpiled at the site. By 1873, the community had a post office, cotton gin, and Baptist congregation. By 1879 it was a described as a thriving depot town of roughly 150 residents. The community operated a broom factory with 10 workers by 1881, coal mines, and the McDade Pottery (established in the 1880s under Robert L. Williams), which the TSHA Handbook describes as the most successful business ever to exist in the town, gaining statewide distribution for its locally-sourced clay products.

McDade has its own independent school district — McDade ISD — one of the smallest in the region. The district enrolls approximately 373 students across two campuses: McDade Elementary (about 204 students) and McDade High School (about 169 students, serving grades 7-12). District enrollment has grown 68.8 percent since 2016. The housing market around McDade centers on rural acreage and homesteads along U.S. 290 and surrounding farm roads, with proximity to Austin drawing commuters willing to trade a longer drive for open land and lower per-acre costs.

Living in McDade

McDade is a rural community centered on U.S. 290 with no incorporated municipal government. Bastrop County provides services. Elgin, about 10 miles west on U.S. 290, is the nearest town with grocery stores and basic retail. Bastrop is approximately 14 miles southwest.

The community has an unusually strong cultural calendar for its size. The McDade Watermelon Festival, held the second Saturday of July since 1948, draws visitors for a parade, car show, street dance, seed-spitting contest, live music, and a watermelon queen pageant. Proceeds fund teacher grants and McDade ISD scholarships. Sherwood Forest Faire, one of the largest Renaissance fairs in Texas, operates on 23 acres at 1883 Old Highway 20, running weekends in March and April with 170 artisans, 150 daily live shows, jousting, and over 100 permanent buildings.

The drive to Austin is approximately 35 miles west on U.S. 290, typically 40 to 55 minutes. Many McDade residents commute to Austin, Elgin, or Bastrop for employment. Sandy soils in the area are historically suited to watermelon farming, a tradition that the community celebrates through its annual festival.