Heath receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Heath
Garland
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs60 · Top 42%
Growth
83 · Top 3%
vs45 · Bottom 40%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 26%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Access
91 · Bottom 49%
vs97 · Top 22%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Heath | Garland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,777 | 246,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $220,828 | $76,320 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $106,807 | $31,917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 872/sq mi | 4,341/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $766,900 | $270,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,501 | $1,641 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 98.0% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.2% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.0% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 169 | 389 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 15.7 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 6.3% | -29.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.4" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.6 min | 32.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.5 | 35.0 | 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
Heath
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Garland
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Heath, TX · Garland, TX · How this is calculated: methodology