Dickinson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Dickinson
Houston
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs63 · Top 28%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs75 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs22 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 48%
vs47 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Dickinson | Houston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,753 | 2,328,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,779 | $64,813 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,439 | $42,430 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,183/sq mi | 3,634/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $278,000 | $277,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,231 | $1,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.8% | 42.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.5% | 36.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 43 | 11,337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.0% | -2.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 55.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 34.4 | 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
Dickinson
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Houston
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Dickinson, TX · Houston, TX · How this is calculated: methodology