Plano receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Watauga
Plano
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs68 · Top 27%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs64 · Top 27%
Climate
67 · Bottom 38%
vs65 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
56 · Bottom 48%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 49%
vs83 · Top 45%
Schools
42 · Bottom 37%
vs80 · Top 14%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs96 · Top 31%
Economic stability
67 · Top 37%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Watauga | Plano | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,233 | 290,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,171 | $112,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,638 | $59,916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,586/sq mi | 4,053/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $250,500 | $465,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,982 | $1,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.0% | 56.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.2% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 6.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 716 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 36.4% | 104.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.98 | 14.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.7% | 52.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.4% | 53.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.8% | 34.8% | 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.
Plano
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Watauga, TX · Plano, TX · How this is calculated: methodology