Leander receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fate
Leander
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs81 · Top 7%
Growth
62 · Top 28%
vs69 · Top 19%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
73 · Top 22%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs85 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
83 · Top 4%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Fate | Leander | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,884 | 74,067 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $132,752 | $139,048 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,804 | $60,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,880/sq mi | 1,909/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $384,300 | $506,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,500 | $1,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 91.5% | 73.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.3% | 53.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.6% | 5.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 158 | 849 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.9 | 11.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -60.9% | -44.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.4" | 33.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 38.3 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.6 | 36.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.65 | 13.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 54.5% | 46.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 50.4% | 53.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.9% | 17.2% | 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
Fate
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Leander
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Fate, TX · Leander, TX · How this is calculated: methodology