Princeton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Princeton
Garland
Opportunity
60 · Top 41%
vs60 · Top 42%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs45 · Bottom 40%
Climate
65 · Bottom 33%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 40%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 50%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Schools
71 · Top 26%
vs37 · Bottom 32%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs97 · Top 22%
Economic stability
85 · Top 2%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Princeton | Garland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,229 | 246,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $105,200 | $76,320 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,704 | $31,917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,787/sq mi | 4,341/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $331,000 | $270,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,239 | $1,641 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.6% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.1% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,528 | 389 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 60.6 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -30.6% | -29.1% | 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 | 27 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.9 min | 32.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.4 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.26 | 15.36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 53.4% | 28.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.5% | 37.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.6% | 77.0% | 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
Princeton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Garland
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Princeton, TX · Garland, TX · How this is calculated: methodology