Terrell receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Terrell
Mesquite
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 38%
vs52 · Bottom 42%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 30%
vs53 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs80 · Bottom 48%
Schools
19 · Bottom 10%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 31%
vs60 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | Terrell | Mesquite | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,366 | 149,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,842 | $72,537 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,723 | $29,877 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 613/sq mi | 3,040/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $218,500 | $245,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,232 | $1,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.7% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.9% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 172 | 464 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.4 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.5% | -22.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.4" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 35.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.6 | 32.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.44 | 14.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 26.1% | 35.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 29.4% | 33.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.5% | 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
Terrell
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Mesquite
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Terrell, TX · Mesquite, TX · How this is calculated: methodology