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
Plano
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs68 · Top 27%
Growth
92 · Top 1%
vs64 · Top 27%
Climate
68 · Bottom 41%
vs65 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 22%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs83 · Top 45%
Schools
43 · Bottom 38%
vs80 · Top 14%
Access
91 · Bottom 46%
vs96 · Top 31%
Economic stability
81 · Top 5%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Red Oak | Plano | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,077 | 290,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,561 | $112,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,662 | $59,916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,052/sq mi | 4,053/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $366,100 | $465,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,920 | $1,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.5% | 56.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.7% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 6.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 621 | 716 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 36.4 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 70.1% | 104.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.7" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.0 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.98 | 14.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.9% | 52.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.7% | 53.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.3% | 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
Red Oak
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Plano
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Red Oak, TX · Plano, TX · How this is calculated: methodology