Mercedes receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Alton
Mercedes
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 16%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Growth
74 · Top 12%
vs77 · Top 7%
Climate
69 · Bottom 44%
vs71 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 38%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
17 · Bottom 7%
vs15 · Bottom 5%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 13%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Alton | Mercedes | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,214 | 16,733 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,715 | $46,904 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $18,575 | $20,044 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,661/sq mi | 1,418/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $156,300 | $111,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,038 | $812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.0% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.2% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.5% | 28.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 293 | 237 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.5 | 14.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.7% | -26.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 99°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 53°F | 50°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.2" | 24.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 21.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 26.1 | 33.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.54 | 14.41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.8% | 16.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.8% | 23.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.9% | 81.9% | 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
Alton
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Mercedes
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Full profiles: Alton, TX · Mercedes, TX · How this is calculated: methodology