Arlington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mesquite
Arlington
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs59 · Top 44%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs68 · Bottom 41%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 46%
vs56 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 48%
vs76 · Bottom 42%
Schools
39 · Bottom 34%
vs29 · Bottom 21%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs96 · Top 31%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Mesquite | Arlington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 149,299 | 397,742 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,537 | $75,171 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,877 | $36,148 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,040/sq mi | 4,150/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,700 | $304,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,513 | $1,470 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.8% | 54.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 32.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 464 | 1,722 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.3% | -6.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 36.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.0 min | 28.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.9 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 51 | 100 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.27 | 14.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.8% | 25.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.1% | 33.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 80.2% | 70.4% | 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
Mesquite
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Arlington
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Mesquite, TX · Arlington, TX · How this is calculated: methodology