Plano receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Little Elm
Plano
Opportunity
69 · Top 25%
vs68 · Top 27%
Growth
67 · Top 21%
vs64 · Top 27%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs65 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 31%
vs83 · Top 45%
Schools
53 · Top 48%
vs80 · Top 14%
Access
92 · Bottom 49%
vs96 · Top 31%
Economic stability
72 · Top 23%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Little Elm | Plano | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 54,820 | 290,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $119,219 | $112,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,310 | $59,916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,960/sq mi | 4,053/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $420,700 | $465,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,953 | $1,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.1% | 56.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.2% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 6.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 370 | 716 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.8% | 104.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.6" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.2 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.4 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.27 | 14.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.9% | 52.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.1% | 53.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.1% | 34.8% | 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
Little Elm
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Plano
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Little Elm
71
Your Score
69
Area Score
Plano
75
Your Score
72
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Little Elm, TX · Plano, TX · How this is calculated: methodology