Ennis receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ennis
Denton
Opportunity
59 · Top 45%
vs65 · Top 31%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs75 · Top 11%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 17%
vs65 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs72 · Bottom 37%
Schools
57 · Top 42%
vs52 · Top 49%
Access
81 · Bottom 24%
vs93 · Top 44%
Economic stability
63 · Top 45%
vs56 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Ennis | Denton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,588 | 152,866 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,074 | $76,019 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,059 | $38,167 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 695/sq mi | 1,577/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $260,100 | $348,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,362 | $1,420 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 50.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 41.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 252 | 2,619 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.2 | 17.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -46.5% | -14.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 35.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 31.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.56 | 13.55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.1% | 34.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.8% | 41.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 65.1% | 50.3% | 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
Ennis
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Denton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Ennis, TX · Denton, TX · How this is calculated: methodology