Red Oak receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Red Oak
Mesquite
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs52 · Bottom 42%
Growth
92 · Top 1%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
68 · Bottom 41%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 22%
vs53 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs80 · Bottom 48%
Schools
43 · Bottom 38%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
91 · Bottom 46%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
81 · Top 5%
vs60 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | Red Oak | Mesquite | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,077 | 149,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,561 | $72,537 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,662 | $29,877 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,052/sq mi | 3,040/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $366,100 | $245,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,920 | $1,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.5% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.7% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 621 | 464 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 36.4 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 70.1% | -22.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.7" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 35.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.0 | 32.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.98 | 14.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.9% | 35.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.7% | 33.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.3% | 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
Red Oak
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Mesquite
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Red Oak, TX · Mesquite, TX · How this is calculated: methodology