University Park receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
University Park
Garland
Opportunity
68 · Top 27%
vs60 · Top 42%
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs45 · Bottom 40%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 45%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 25%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs97 · Top 22%
Economic stability
63 · Top 45%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | University Park | Garland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,155 | 246,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $250,000+ | $76,320 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $113,291 | $31,917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,819/sq mi | 4,341/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,861,800 | $270,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,272 | $1,641 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.2% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 90.8% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.7% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 56 | 389 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.1% | -29.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 32.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.4 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-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
University Park
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Garland
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
University Park
65
Your Score
62
Area Score
Garland
62
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: University Park, TX · Garland, TX · How this is calculated: methodology