Austin receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Austin
Plano
Opportunity
84 · Top 3%
vs71 · Top 17%
Growth
63 · Top 27%
vs59 · Top 38%
Climate
67 · Bottom 39%
vs65 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 21%
vs67 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 42%
vs83 · Top 20%
Access
95 · Bottom 30%
vs96 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
68 · Top 10%
vs74 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Austin | Plano | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 979,539 | 290,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $93,658 | $112,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $62,862 | $59,916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,001/sq mi | 4,053/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $555,300 | $465,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,729 | $1,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.4% | 56.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.6% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 6.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7,547 | 716 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.6% | 104.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.3" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Austin
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Plano
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Austin, TX · Plano, TX · How this is calculated: methodology