Frisco receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mesquite
Frisco
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs74 · Top 15%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs76 · Top 10%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs65 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 46%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 48%
vs86 · Top 41%
Schools
39 · Bottom 34%
vs88 · Top 5%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs92 · Top 49%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs82 · Top 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Mesquite | Frisco | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 149,299 | 219,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,537 | $150,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,877 | $68,614 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,040/sq mi | 3,197/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,700 | $642,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,513 | $2,014 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.8% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 67.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% | 3.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 464 | 3,405 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 15.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.3% | -15.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.0 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.9 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 51 | 70 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.27 | 14.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.8% | 63.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.1% | 65.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 80.2% | 13.7% | 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.
Frisco
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Mesquite, TX · Frisco, TX · How this is calculated: methodology