Leander receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Taylor
Leander
Opportunity
66 · Top 30%
vs81 · Top 7%
Growth
63 · Top 27%
vs69 · Top 19%
Climate
67 · Bottom 38%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
86 · Top 15%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
18 · Bottom 9%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
84 · Bottom 28%
vs85 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
62 · Top 45%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Taylor | Leander | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,136 | 74,067 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,508 | $139,048 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,996 | $60,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 757/sq mi | 1,909/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $285,800 | $506,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,074 | $1,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.6% | 73.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 53.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 5.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 90 | 849 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.3 | 11.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -37.9% | -44.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.3" | 33.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 36.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.87 | 13.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.1% | 46.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 25.4% | 53.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.6% | 17.2% | 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
Taylor
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Leander
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Taylor, TX · Leander, TX · How this is calculated: methodology