Mesquite and Dallas receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Mesquite
Dallas
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs58 · Top 47%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 46%
vs53 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 48%
vs66 · Bottom 29%
Schools
39 · Bottom 34%
vs38 · Bottom 32%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs53 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Mesquite | Dallas | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 149,299 | 1,307,930 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,537 | $70,518 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,877 | $45,811 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,040/sq mi | 3,850/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,700 | $320,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,513 | $1,472 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.8% | 42.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% | 16.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 464 | 7,307 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 5.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.3% | 30.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.0 min | 27.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.9 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 51 | 341 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.27 | 15.33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.8% | 31.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.1% | 36.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 80.2% | 84.7% | 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.
Dallas
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Mesquite, TX · Dallas, TX · How this is calculated: methodology