Mesquite, TX Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Mesquite, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Mesquite →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
With a population near 149,439, Mesquite, Texas sits roughly in line with the multi-city income median: households earn a typical $69,649 per year (-3% vs. that benchmark).
Home values in Mesquite run a median $208,800, below the benchmark across cities in our dataset (-36%). Renters see a median monthly cost of $1,323. Mortgage rates and property taxes are worth checking before you commit either way.
Mesquite's home-price-to-income ratio of about 3.0× puts it in affordable territory — income here stretches further toward a home purchase than in many cities we track. The local housing market has cooled a bit — prices are down roughly 0.12% over the past year. Mesquite carries a Very High hazard rating from FEMA — elevated risk that's typically reflected in higher insurance premiums.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,323/mo in Mesquite would take 22.8% of your income.
$418/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($208,800) would take 19.2% of your income toward principal & interest.
$510/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Mesquite
Median home value is $208,800 and median gross rent is $1,323/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Dallas fell 0.12% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,931/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Mesquite's overall natural-hazard risk as Very High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Mesquite reported a violent crime rate of 453.4 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Mesquite
Planning a move to Mesquite? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Mesquite, TX?
- For a quick read on Mesquite: homes carry a median value of $208,800, rent runs a median $1,323 monthly, and household income is a median $69,649, all from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mesquite?
- Comfortably affording rent in Mesquite — where the median runs $1,323/month — typically means earning about $52,920 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Mesquite.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Mesquite?
- Mesquite's median rent of $1,323/month translates to about $52,920 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $47,772 a year for principal and interest on the $208,800 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is Mesquite safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, Mesquite's violent crime rate was 453.4 per 100,000 residents in 2025.
See the full salary breakdown for Mesquite →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Mesquite's.