Cedar Hill receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Cedar Hill
Mesquite
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs52 · Bottom 42%
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
68 · Bottom 41%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
55 · Bottom 46%
vs53 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 37%
vs80 · Bottom 48%
Schools
28 · Bottom 20%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
94 · Top 44%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
70 · Top 29%
vs60 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | Cedar Hill | Mesquite | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,879 | 149,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $101,909 | $72,537 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,128 | $29,877 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,366/sq mi | 3,040/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $302,700 | $245,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,993 | $1,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.4% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.8% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 205 | 464 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.2 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 24.2% | -22.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.7" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 35.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 32.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.66 | 14.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.7% | 35.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.3% | 33.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.5% | 80.2% | 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
Cedar Hill
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Mesquite
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Cedar Hill
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Mesquite
62
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Cedar Hill, TX · Mesquite, TX · How this is calculated: methodology