Allen receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Allen
Garland
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs60 · Top 42%
Growth
76 · Top 9%
vs45 · Bottom 40%
Climate
65 · Bottom 33%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 40%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Schools
87 · Top 6%
vs37 · Bottom 32%
Access
92 · Top 48%
vs97 · Top 22%
Economic stability
75 · Top 17%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Allen | Garland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 110,265 | 246,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $130,901 | $76,320 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,986 | $31,917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,176/sq mi | 4,341/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $464,100 | $270,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,932 | $1,641 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.5% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.1% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,024 | 389 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.3 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.5% | -29.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.3 min | 32.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.25 | 15.36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 69.0% | 28.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 67.0% | 37.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 14.6% | 77.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Allen
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Garland
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Allen, TX · Garland, TX · How this is calculated: methodology