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
Plano
Opportunity
72 · Top 19%
vs68 · Top 27%
Growth
70 · Top 17%
vs64 · Top 27%
Climate
65 · Bottom 33%
vs65 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 40%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs83 · Top 45%
Schools
89 · Top 4%
vs80 · Top 14%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs96 · Top 31%
Economic stability
84 · Top 2%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Murphy | Plano | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,188 | 290,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $175,699 | $112,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,417 | $59,916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,719/sq mi | 4,053/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $555,500 | $465,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,847 | $1,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 93.7% | 56.9% | 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% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.0% | 6.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 716 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 114.3% | 104.0% | 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 | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.4 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.87 | 14.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 68.8% | 52.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.9% | 53.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.9% | 34.8% | 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.
Plano
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Murphy, TX · Plano, TX · How this is calculated: methodology