McKinney receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Southlake
McKinney
Opportunity
69 · Top 24%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs76 · Top 9%
Climate
68 · Bottom 43%
vs65 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 48%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs90 · Top 31%
Schools
90 · Top 3%
vs82 · Top 12%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs78 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Southlake | McKinney | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,137 | 210,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $250,000+ | $124,215 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $116,135 | $55,643 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,426/sq mi | 3,081/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,014,500 | $471,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,501 | $1,901 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 94.6% | 63.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.6% | 54.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 1.5% | 5.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 52 | 3,065 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 14.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.5% | -2.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.0" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.1 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.46 | 14.55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 80.8% | 54.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 81.6% | 58.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 9.5% | 28.0% | 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
Southlake
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
McKinney
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Southlake, TX · McKinney, TX · How this is calculated: methodology