Watauga receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Watauga
Farmers Branch
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs59 · Top 44%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs57 · Top 37%
Climate
67 · Bottom 38%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
56 · Bottom 48%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 49%
vs74 · Bottom 39%
Schools
42 · Bottom 37%
vs35 · Bottom 29%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 3%
Economic stability
67 · Top 37%
vs66 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Watauga | Farmers Branch | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,233 | 36,645 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,171 | $91,186 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,638 | $48,638 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,586/sq mi | 3,084/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $250,500 | $364,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,982 | $1,864 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.0% | 42.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.2% | 52.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 11.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 289 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 7.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 36.4% | -42.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.98 | 15.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.7% | 32.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.4% | 35.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.8% | 83.8% | 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
Watauga
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Farmers Branch
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.
Watauga
66
Your Score
63
Area Score
Farmers Branch
63
Your Score
59
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Watauga, TX · Farmers Branch, TX · How this is calculated: methodology