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Melissa vs Anna

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+91.3 pts in Melissa) and trails (4.4× in Anna).

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Melissa, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 20,136 people
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Anna, TXHomes around $338KTexas · 24,330 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

MelissaKnown for its schools
Schools#29 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$422K typical home41% above the TX typical home HealthHealthier than 80%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Melissa →
AnnaHomes around $338K
Housing$338K typical home13% above the TX typical home HealthHealthier than 75%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Schools#169 for schools in TXof 583 towns All about Anna →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+91.3 pts
Melissa has grown faster since 2010
Melissa +196.1%Anna +104.8%
Trails4.4×
Anna has more miles of trail
Anna 2.2 miMelissa 0.5 mi
Bachelor’s degree++21.1 pts
More adults in Melissa have a degree
Melissa 52.6%Anna 31.5%
Household income+31%
Households in Melissa earn more
Melissa $138,763Anna $105,593
Home values+29%
Homes cost more in Melissa
Melissa $454,000Anna $351,700
Rent+20%
Rent runs higher in Melissa
Melissa $2,532Anna $2,105
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $510 more a month in Melissa

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Melissa$2,750/mo
Typical home $422K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.51% · or rent about $2,532/mo · Housing →
Anna$2,230/mo
Typical home $338K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.64% · or rent about $2,105/mo · Housing →

The difference: $510 a month, about $6,200 a year, between Melissa and Anna.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Melissa places higher on 13 of 21 TX lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
AMelissaSafer than 92% of U.S. towns BAnnaSafer than 62% of U.S. towns
Schools
AMelissaBetter than 94% of districts in the state BAnnaBetter than 60% of districts in the state
Health
A−MelissaHealthier than 80% of U.S. towns A−AnnaHealthier than 75% of U.S. towns
13Melissa
6Anna

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #1#431 Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #552#355 SafestSafety · 470 towns #13#128 Best schoolsSchools · 583 towns #29#169 Most educatedPeople · 653 towns #77#216 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 632 towns #230#305 Shortest commuteGetting around · 653 towns #572#500 Highest incomeIncome · 653 towns #63#131

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Melissa’s rankings →

Where they are

Melissa and Anna share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MelissaAnnaMelissaAnna
Melissa ↔ Anna4.1 miles apart · They share a border
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
MelissaAnna
Snow a year0″0″
January low34°F34°F
July high92°F92°F
Growing season (days)254d254d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th69th
Outdoors & history
MelissaAnna
Trails1 mi2 mi
Conserved land0.1%1.4%
Settled18531867
Archive photos1—
Famous people born here1—
Community
MelissaAnna
Library hours a week40 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MelissaAnna
People
Population 20,136Lowest 24,330Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +196.1%Highest TX: +15.9% +104.8%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 36.3±1.5Highest about the TX average 32.1±1.2Lowest 10% below TX
Kids under 18 30.7%±4.5Highest TX: 25% 28.8%±3.8Lowest TX: 25%
Melissa and Anna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 6.7%±1.8Highest TX: 13.4% 5.6%±1.5Lowest TX: 13.4%
Melissa and Anna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 52.6%Highest TX: 33.8% 31.5%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6%±2.1Highest TX: 6.2% 5.8%±2.3Lowest TX: 6.2%
Melissa and Anna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $138,763±$8kHighest 77% above TX $105,593±$15kLowest 35% above TX
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $454,000±$22kHighest 60% above TX $351,700±$14kLowest 24% above TX
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,532±$197Highest 80% above TX $2,105±$191Lowest 50% above TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,860Highest 62% above TX $5,772Lowest 36% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.9%±19.9Lowest TX: 51.7% 59.2%±8.3Highest TX: 51.7%
Anna and Melissa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 1.9%Lowest TX: 13.8% 7.8%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88.7%Highest TX: 62.6% 78.5%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2015Highest 23 yrs newer than TX 2012Lowest 20 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 34 minHighest 26% above TX 31 minLowest 15% above TX
Work from home 29.4%±6Highest TX: 14.4% 24.3%±4.5Lowest TX: 14.4%
Melissa and Anna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.7%Highest 2.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.8 miLowest 27.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.29Highest 0.16Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Dallas (16%)Dallas (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AnnaFew work in Melissa
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.1%Lowest 1.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miLowest 2.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.3Highest 66.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #29 of 583 in TX#169 of 583 in TX
School district MELISSA ISDANNA ISD
High school in town Melissa H SAnna H S
Students per teacherat that high school 14.5Lowest 17.4Highest
Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Melissa neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Melissa’s Town Square.

Anna neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Anna’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Melissa and Anna

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Bordering Melissa

+ Compare
McKinney210,600 people · $472K homes

Towns like Melissa

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Katy25,184 people · $402K homes
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Sachse30,491 people · $406K homes
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Iowa Colony12,891 people · $406K homes
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Buda15,859 people · $447K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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