Longview receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Henderson
Longview
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 13%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs40 · Bottom 32%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs70 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs70 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs91 · Top 29%
Schools
48 · Bottom 46%
vs76 · Top 19%
Access
94 · Top 42%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 6%
vs43 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Henderson | Longview | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,385 | 82,923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,285 | $63,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,101 | $33,995 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,116/sq mi | 1,475/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $173,700 | $202,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,007 | $1,101 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.8% | 54.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.9% | 17.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 128 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 500.0% | -24.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.3" | 45.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 21.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.28 | 13.99 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.3% | 51.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 38.1% | 48.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.0% | 70.8% | 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
Henderson
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Longview
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail.
Full profiles: Henderson, TX · Longview, TX · How this is calculated: methodology