Population 153,327 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mesquite
Household size in Mesquite
| Period | Mesquite | Dallas area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.96 | 2.83 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.05 | 2.89 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.14 | 2.94 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.10 | 2.87 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.14 | +0.03 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Mesquite are large by national standards, averaging 3.10 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.96, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Mesquite
| Period | Mesquite | Dallas area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.4 | 34.6 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.5 | 35.3 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.0 | 36.2 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.4 | 36.7 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +2.2 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Mesquite is young: half of its residents are under 34.4, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.4, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Mesquite
| Period | Mesquite | Dallas area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 13.2% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.1% | 13.4% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 20.4% | 12.6% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 20.0% | 11.6% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in five households in Mesquite (20.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 3.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Of the 545 Texas cities with 5,000+ people, only 43 have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Mesquite
Renters in Mesquite
| Period | Mesquite | Dallas area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.4% | 37.1% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.3% | 39.5% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.2% | 40.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.5% | 39.9% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +2.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Mesquite is about as common as it is nationally: 37.5% of households rent, against 34.8%. Among owners, 40.7% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Mesquite
| Period | Mesquite | Dallas area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 10.2% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 8.8% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 8.2% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Mesquite than nationally: 8.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Dallas area. Vacancy has fallen 2.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Mesquite
| Period | Mesquite | Dallas area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1984 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1987 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1992 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +8 | +8 | +6 |
The typical home in Mesquite was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in the Dallas area overall, where the median home dates to 1992. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Mesquite
| Period | Mesquite | Dallas area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,124 | $1,058 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,117 | $1,135 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,240 | $1,349 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,799 | $1,865 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$674 | +$807 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Mesquite pays $1,799 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $674 a month since 2006–10, up 60%, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 38.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Mesquite
Bachelor's degrees in Mesquite
| Period | Mesquite | Dallas area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.0% | 31.6% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 32.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 34.9% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.3% | 39.5% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Mesquite: 19.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Mesquite has a lower share of college graduates than most Texas cities.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Mesquite
| Period | Mesquite | Dallas area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.3% | 83.5% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.5% | 84.4% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.5% | 85.4% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 80.3% | 87.6% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +4.0 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in Mesquite never finished high school, well above the national share: only 80.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Mesquite
| Period | Mesquite | Dallas area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.1% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 7.6% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 4.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Mesquite is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the Dallas area as a whole (4.6%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Mesquite compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesquite | 3.10 | 34.4 | 20.0% | 37.5% | 8.0% | 1982 | $1,799 | 19.3% | 80.3% | 5.5% |
| Sunnyvale | 3.32 | 39.8 | 12.8% | 15.7% | 12.7% | 2006 | $1,470 | 57.4% | 94.7% | 4.5% |
| Balch Springs | 3.38 | 31.9 | 15.8% | 33.5% | 11.6% | 1987 | $1,462 | 9.8% | 72.7% | 7.9% |
| Seagoville | 3.25 | 32.4 | 16.5% | 22.1% | 7.9% | 1990 | $1,468 | 11.9% | 75.4% | 4.9% |
| Heath | 3.05 | 42.3 | 4.2% | 9.3% | 3.8% | 2003 | $2,064 | 57.6% | 97.7% | 6.1% |
| Kleberg | 3.71 | 22.5 | 12.1% | 32.8% | 3.0% | 1989 | $1,562 | 5.5% | 61.6% | 5.8% |
| Forney | 3.46 | 32.2 | 14.9% | 21.7% | 5.2% | 2011 | $2,152 | 37.1% | 91.9% | 5.4% |
| Dallas area | 2.87 | 36.7 | 11.6% | 39.9% | 7.2% | 1992 | $1,865 | 39.5% | 87.6% | 4.6% |
| Hutchins | 2.96 | 29.1 | 22.7% | 50.1% | 1.4% | 1995 | $1,403 | 9.4% | 71.6% | 2.4% |
| University Park | 3.04 | 34.5 | 9.1% | 16.8% | 9.5% | 1988 | $3,004 | 88.8% | 98.9% | 3.5% |
| Highland Park | 2.72 | 45.0 | 3.5% | 10.6% | 9.9% | 1969 | $2,506 | 87.5% | 99.0% | 4.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lake Charles, LA · Lakeland, FL · Henderson, NV · Hemet, CA · Highland, CA · Hattiesburg, MS · Huntsville, AL · Homestead, FL · Humble, TX · Honolulu, HI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Mesquite. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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