Community spirit thrives in Buchanan’s outdoor spaces and venues
Named 2020’s Nicest Place in America by Reader’s Digest, Buchanan is a small city with a lot of community pride. Their population is just over 4,000 people, and residents show up for farmers markets and summer concerts at The Common, an outdoor amphitheater. They visit locally owned restaurants and explore well-maintained parks. "It’s a close-knit, quaint town where everybody knows everybody,” says Christie Brown, a Realtor and team leader of the Christie Brown Team who lives in Buchanan. “We’re fortunate to have a lot going on.”
Most homes are on half-acre lots and average 2,000 square feet
Housing options include smaller bungalows and ranch-style homes built between the early 1900s and the ‘70s. There are also some larger two-story houses built in the late 1800s. “We have a lot of older homes downtown, and I think for the most part, the homes here are really beautiful. People take pride in their properties,” Brown says.
The median price of a single-family home is $230,000, compared to about $278,000 in Berrien County. Homes needing major renovations start at around $15,000 and go up to about $50,000. New construction built in 2024 and 2025 is priced between $260,000 and about $375,000. At just under 2,000 square feet, homes in Buchanan are on par with the national average, and lot sizes are mostly about half an acre.
Students can qualify for up to $15,000 in scholarship aid
Buchanan Community Schools serves the city and earns a B from Niche. Students may be able to apply to attend schools in other districts. Students can attend B-minus-rated Ottawa Elementary for preschool through first grade, and B-plus-rated Moccasin Elementary for grades 2 through 4. Buchanan Middle and Buchanan High have a B rating. The Buchanan Promise is a post-secondary education scholarship where students graduating from Buchanan High School may be eligible for up to $15,000 in tuition for college, a certificate or a trade school. “You only have to go to Buchanan Community Schools for four years to get the full scholarship,” Brown says. Students must also maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average.
Parks have fishing spots, murals and duck pond views
Buchanan maintains nine parks. McCoy’s Creek Recreation Area has a dog park, a playground and a creek often used for fishing. “It’s known for the trout,” Brown says. On the McCoy’s Creek Trail, there’s a large mural depicting the city’s history as a mill town. Veteran's Memorial Park is also called the Duck Pond Park, and there’s a bridge to walk over the pond and view the ducks. Golfers can become members at the private Orchard Hills Country Club. There are a few other spots around where residents can gather. “We have The Common, and there’s a little theater where the kids sometimes put on plays,” Brown says, referring to the Tin Shop Theatre.
Downtown offers nostalgic cafes and upscale dining options
Buchanan’s downtown area is undergoing reconstruction, which is expected to last until November 2025. For a small city, there is a wide range of local restaurants, including breweries, cafes and diners. “We have the Buchanan Sweet Shop [Cafe Italiano] and they have great pizzas and sandwiches,” Brown says. “It's very nostalgic looking because it used to be an ice cream shop.” McCollum’s Restaurant and Bar is an upscale dining option at The Grant Hotel. There is a Dollar General and Harding’s Friendly Markets grocery store in Buchanan, but more options are less than 10 miles away, like Walmart.
Buchanan’s location offers easy travel across the region
"The City of Buchanan is very walkable,” Brown says. “The township is where you get into the farmland and rural areas.” The city is a short distance from U.S. Highways 12 and 31, and about 20 miles from Interstate 94. The closest Amtrak Station is in Niles , about 8 miles east. The South Shore Line commuter rail station and South Bend International Airport are in South Bend , Indiana, around 17 miles south. Brown says most commutes are 20 to 30 minutes. "We're in a really nice location," she says.
