Murphy and Allen 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
Murphy
Allen
Opportunity
72 · Top 19%
vs70 · Top 23%
Growth
70 · Top 17%
vs76 · Top 9%
Climate
65 · Bottom 33%
vs65 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 40%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
89 · Top 4%
vs87 · Top 6%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs92 · Top 48%
Economic stability
84 · Top 2%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Murphy | Allen | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,188 | 110,265 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $175,699 | $130,901 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,417 | $55,986 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,719/sq mi | 4,176/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $555,500 | $464,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,847 | $1,932 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 93.7% | 69.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.1% | 57.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.0% | 6.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 1,024 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 9.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 114.3% | -2.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.4 min | 30.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.87 | 16.25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 68.8% | 69.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.9% | 67.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.9% | 14.6% | 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
Murphy
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Allen
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Murphy, TX · Allen, TX · How this is calculated: methodology