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Melissa vs Sachse

22 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+162.8 pts in Melissa) and trails (6.2× in Sachse).

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Melissa, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 20,136 people
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Sachse, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 30,491 people
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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 →
SachseKnown for its schools
Schools#107 for schools in TXof 583 towns Outdoors#122 most walkable in TX3.1 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 88%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Sachse →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Growth since 2010+162.8 pts
Melissa has grown faster since 2010
Melissa +196.1%Sachse +33.3%
Trails6.2×
Sachse has more miles of trail
Sachse 3.1 miMelissa 0.5 mi
Rent+41%
Rent runs higher in Melissa
Melissa $2,532Sachse $1,798
Average commute4 min
Sachse has the shorter commute
Melissa 34 minSachse 30 min
Age 65++5.1 pts
Sachse has more people 65 and up
Sachse 11.8%Melissa 6.7%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Sachse places higher on 13 of 24 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 A−SachseSafer than 78% of U.S. towns
Schools
AMelissaBetter than 94% of districts in the state B−SachseBetter than 53% of districts in the state
Health
A−MelissaHealthier than 80% of U.S. towns ASachseHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns
11Melissa
13Sachse

Lists won, of 24 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #552#162 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #476#69 Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #1#310 Lowest obesityHealth · 652 towns #252#60 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #23#146 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #258#122 Fastest growingGrowth · 640 towns #8#121 Most-used librariesLibraries · 183 towns #142#110

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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 →
Sachse$2,850/mo
Typical home $428K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.69% · or rent about $1,798/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Sachse and Melissa.

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.

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
MelissaSachse
Snow a year0″0″
January low34°F—
July high92°F—
Growing season (days)254d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th62nd
Outdoors & history
MelissaSachse
Trails1 mi3 mi
Conserved land0.1%4.5%
Settled1853—
Archive photos1—
Famous people born here1—
Community
MelissaSachse
Library hours a week40 hrs57 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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.

Where they are

22 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MelissaSachseMelissaSachse
Melissa ↔ Sachse22 miles apart
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.

MelissaSachse
People
Population 20,136Lowest 30,491Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +196.1%Highest TX: +15.9% +33.3%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 36.3±1.5Lowest about the TX average 39.9±1.7Highest 12% above TX
Kids under 18 30.7%±4.5Highest TX: 25% 24.3%±2.5Lowest TX: 25%
Melissa and Sachse are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 6.7%±1.8Lowest TX: 13.4% 11.8%±1.9Highest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 52.6%Highest TX: 33.8% 48.5%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6%±2.1Lowest TX: 6.2% 6.4%±1.2Highest TX: 6.2%
Sachse and Melissa 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 $131,808±$9kLowest 68% above TX
Melissa and Sachse are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $454,000±$22kHighest 60% above TX $406,200±$21kLowest 43% above TX
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,532±$197Highest 80% above TX $1,798±$103Lowest 28% above TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,860Lowest 62% above TX $6,873Highest 62% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.9%±19.9Highest TX: 51.7% 52%±13.4Lowest TX: 51.7%
Melissa and Sachse 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% 3.3%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88.7%Highest TX: 62.6% 84.7%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2015Highest 23 yrs newer than TX 2005Lowest 13 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 34 minHighest 26% above TX 30 minLowest 10% above TX
Work from home 29.4%±6Highest TX: 14.4% 25.3%±3.9Lowest TX: 14.4%
Melissa and Sachse are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.7%Highest 1.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.8 miHighest 14.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.29Highest 0.21Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Dallas (16%)Dallas (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SachseFew work in Melissa
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.1%Lowest 4.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miLowest 3.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 8Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.3Lowest 94.8Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #29 of 583 in TX#107 of 583 in TX
School district MELISSA ISDGARLAND ISD · WYLIE ISD
High school in town Melissa H SSachse H S
Students per teacherat that high school 14.5Lowest 17.3Highest
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.

Sachse neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

Weeknight Dinner Options

1 neighbor in Sachse can answer.

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Bordering Melissa

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McKinney210,600 people · $472K homes
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Anna24,330 people · $352K homes

Towns like Melissa

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Cibolo35,109 people · $352K 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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