●McDade Independent School DistrictHomes for Sale
Market Overview for McDade Independent School District
There are 15 active listings in McDade Independent School District with a median list price of $789K and a median sold price of $346K.
Homes average 114 days on market.
Over the past 30 days, 0 homes have sold, with 10 sales in the past 12 months.
The average price per square foot is $353.
About McDade Independent School District
McDade Independent School District serves approximately 200 students on a single K-8 campus in the unincorporated community of McDade in western Bastrop County, about 40 miles east of downtown Austin. The district is one of the smallest in Texas and does not operate a high school; students completing 8th grade transfer to Elgin ISD for their high school education at Elgin High School, approximately 10 miles west. The district covers roughly 65 square miles of post-oak woodland, sandy loam farmland, and open range along US Highway 290 and FM 1441. McDade was established in the 1870s as a stop on the Houston and Texas Central Railway and gained notoriety during a brief period of frontier violence in the 1880s. Today the community is a quiet rural settlement of a few hundred residents centered on the school, two churches, the McDade Historical Museum, and the annual McDade Watermelon Festival grounds.
Real estate within McDade ISD is predominantly rural acreage with scattered homesites on large parcels. Properties with 5 to 20 acres and a home typically list from $300K to $600K, depending on the age and condition of improvements, fencing, and road frontage. Larger undeveloped tracts of 20 to 100 acres price from $12,000 to $20,000 per acre based on water, timber, and access. Older farmhouses and manufactured homes on smaller lots are occasionally available from $150K to $300K. New subdivision construction does not exist in the district; all building activity is custom homes, barndominiums, or manufactured home placements on individual lots. The median home price in the district is approximately $350K, reflecting the acreage premium and the relatively limited inventory in this sparsely populated area.
McDade ISD operates a single campus serving pre-K through 8th grade with approximately 200 students in one building. The campus provides multi-grade instruction in lower elementary, departmentalized classes in upper elementary, and a small middle school program for 6th through 8th graders. Class sizes are very small, with student-to-teacher ratios in the single digits in some grade levels. The school does not field UIL athletic teams at the high school level since it has no high school, but middle school students participate in cross-country, basketball, and track. McDade students entering 9th grade enroll at Elgin High School in neighboring Elgin ISD, which competes in UIL Class 4A and offers a full range of athletics, CTE pathways, and dual-credit courses. The transition from a small K-8 campus to a larger high school of 1,200+ students is a significant adjustment that the districts coordinate through orientation programs.
McDade is approximately 40 miles east of downtown Austin via US-290. Elgin is about 10 miles west on US-290, Bastrop is approximately 20 miles south on SH-95, and Taylor is about 25 miles northwest. The community has no commercial businesses beyond the school; there are no gas stations, grocery stores, or restaurants in McDade itself. Elgin, the nearest town with full services, provides an H-E-B grocery store, restaurants (including the well-known Southside Market & Barbeque and Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse), and retail. Most McDade residents commute to Elgin, Bastrop, Taylor, or Austin for employment. The McDade area is part of a transitional zone between the Blackland Prairie to the west and the Lost Pines forest ecosystem to the south, which influences the post-oak and sandy soil character of local properties.
Living in McDade Independent School District
McDade's population in the broader district area is estimated at 500 to 800 residents, spread across rural properties with no concentrated town center beyond the school and its immediate surroundings. Median household income is approximately $50,000, with most working adults commuting to Elgin, Bastrop, Taylor, or Austin. The culture is rural and agricultural, with cattle ranching, hay production, and hobby farming as common pursuits among property owners. Nearly all homes are owner-occupied, and all properties rely on private wells and septic systems. The isolation and lack of commercial services are by design for many residents, who chose McDade specifically for the space, quiet, and affordable acreage within commuting distance of Austin.
Daily life in McDade requires a car and a willingness to drive 10 to 20 minutes for basic services. The nearest grocery store, fuel, and restaurants are in Elgin, about 10 miles west on US-290. The McDade Historical Museum, housed in a restored building near the school, documents the community's railroad history and the frontier period. The annual McDade Watermelon Festival in July features a watermelon seed-spitting contest, a parade, live music, food vendors, and a community gathering that draws visitors from surrounding areas. Bastrop State Park and the Lost Pines forest, approximately 20 miles south, provide hiking, fishing, golf, and camping. Elgin's Saturday Farmers Market and Sausage Festival in April provide additional community and cultural outings within a short drive. The post-oak woodland surrounding McDade supports white-tail deer, wild hog, and dove hunting on private land, and the sandy-loam soil makes the area suitable for small-scale agriculture and horse properties.
Things to Do in McDade Independent School District
- McDade Watermelon Festival: Annual July community gathering with a watermelon seed-spitting contest, parade, live music, food vendors, and games at the festival grounds.
- Bastrop State Park: 6,000-acre state park approximately 20 miles south in the Lost Pines forest. Hiking trails, fishing, an 18-hole golf course, and camping with cabins.
- Southside Market & Barbeque: Historic barbecue and sausage restaurant in Elgin, approximately 10 miles west, operating since 1882 and known for hot guts sausage.
- McDade Historical Museum: Small museum documenting the community's railroad history, frontier period, and agricultural heritage in a restored building near the school campus.
- Deer and Hog Hunting: Post-oak woodland and sandy-loam ranch land surrounding McDade support seasonal hunting for white-tail deer, wild hog, and dove on private leases.
Major Employers in McDade Independent School District
- McDade ISD (Education): Primary employer in the McDade community with approximately 30 to 35 teachers and support staff on the single campus.
- Elgin ISD (Education): Neighboring school district in Elgin employing over 600 staff, accessible to McDade residents within a 10-minute commute.
- Samsung Austin Semiconductor (Manufacturing): Semiconductor fabrication facility in Taylor, approximately 25 miles northwest, with over 3,000 employees.
- Area Farms and Ranches (Agriculture): Surrounding agricultural operations employing seasonal and full-time workers in cattle ranching, hay production, and small-scale farming.
McDade Independent School District Schools
McDade ISD is served by McDade ISD. Students typically attend McDade Elementary for elementary school, McDade Middle School for middle school, and McDade High School or Elgin High School for high school.
School District: McDade ISD
Public Schools
- McDade Elementary
Pre-Schools
- McDade ISD Pre-K - Public pre-kindergarten program on the McDade campus for qualifying 4-year-olds.
- Elgin Head Start - Federally funded early childhood program in Elgin, approximately 10 miles west of McDade.
Private Schools
- Phoenix Montessori Academy - Montessori school in Elgin, approximately 10 miles west, serving pre-K through elementary grades.
Frequently Asked Questions
What neighborhoods are in McDade ISD?
McDade ISD covers rural acreage in western Bastrop County surrounding the unincorporated community of McDade on US-290. There are no subdivisions or formal neighborhoods; properties are farms, ranches, and individual homesites on large lots.
Is McDade ISD good for families?
McDade ISD offers an unusually small school environment with student-to-teacher ratios in the single digits and personalized instruction on a single K-8 campus. Graduates transition to Elgin High School for a full high school experience with UIL athletics and CTE pathways.
What are home prices in McDade ISD?
The median home price in McDade ISD is approximately $350K, mostly reflecting acreage properties. Homes with 5 to 20 acres range from $300K to $600K, and older homes or manufactured homes can be found from $150K to $300K.
Where do McDade students go to high school?
McDade ISD does not operate a high school. Students completing 8th grade at McDade School transfer to Elgin High School in Elgin ISD, approximately 10 miles west, which serves grades 9 through 12 with over 1,200 students.
How far is McDade from Austin?
McDade is approximately 40 miles east of downtown Austin via US-290, a drive of about 40 to 50 minutes. Elgin is 10 miles west, Bastrop is roughly 20 miles south, and Taylor is about 25 miles northwest.