Mercedes receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mercedes
Alton
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 15%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
77 · Top 7%
vs74 · Top 12%
Climate
71 · Top 44%
vs69 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs87 · Top 38%
Schools
15 · Bottom 5%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 5%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Mercedes | Alton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,733 | 20,214 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,904 | $52,715 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,044 | $18,575 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,418/sq mi | 2,661/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $111,800 | $156,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $812 | $1,038 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.8% | 55.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.5% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 28.6% | 27.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 237 | 293 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.2 | 14.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -26.2% | -1.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 99°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 50°F | 53°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.0" | 22.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 26.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.41 | 14.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 16.6% | 14.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 23.7% | 28.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 81.9% | 91.9% | 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
Mercedes
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Alton
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, hurricane, hail.
Full profiles: Mercedes, TX · Alton, TX · How this is calculated: methodology