Murphy receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Murphy
Mesquite
Opportunity
72 · Top 19%
vs52 · Bottom 42%
Growth
70 · Top 17%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
65 · Bottom 33%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 40%
vs53 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs80 · Bottom 48%
Schools
89 · Top 4%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
84 · Top 2%
vs60 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | Murphy | Mesquite | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,188 | 149,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $175,699 | $72,537 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,417 | $29,877 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,719/sq mi | 3,040/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $555,500 | $245,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,847 | $1,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 93.7% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.1% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.0% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 464 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 114.3% | -22.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.4 min | 35.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 32.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.87 | 14.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 68.8% | 35.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.9% | 33.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.9% | 80.2% | 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.
Mesquite
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Murphy, TX · Mesquite, TX · How this is calculated: methodology