McDade is a census-designated place in northern Bastrop County, Texas, situated along U.S. Route 290 in the heart of the Lost Pines region of Central Texas. At the 2020 census its population was 720. The community sits nine miles east of Elgin, about 34 miles east of Austin, and 21 miles west of Giddings, giving it a distinctly rural character within reach of the state capital. McDade grew up as a railroad town and agricultural center in the late nineteenth century, serving the surrounding cotton and farming country. For much of the twentieth century its population held steady in the low hundreds, and agriculture remained the backbone of local life. In recent decades the community has grown modestly while retaining its small-town identity, and it was first designated as a census place for the 2010 count. The town is best known for its annual Watermelon Festival, a July tradition featuring a parade, street dance, and watermelon festivities that has long been a fixture of the Central Texas calendar. Students attend McDade Independent School District, a small rural district with its own high school, and the school system is a central part of community life. McDade's location places it near some of the region's most distinctive outdoor recreation. Bastrop State Park and Buescher State Park preserve the loblolly pine woodlands of the Lost Pines, and Lake Bastrop offers fishing, boating, and camping. For residents, McDade combines a quiet agricultural setting, a close-knit community, and convenient access to both the Bastrop area and the Austin metropolitan region.