Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Sachse vs Melissa

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

×
Sachse, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 30,491 people
×
Melissa, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 20,136 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.

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 →
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 →
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
A−SachseSafer than 78% of U.S. towns AMelissaSafer than 92% of U.S. towns
Schools
B−SachseBetter than 53% of districts in the state AMelissaBetter than 94% of districts in the state
Health
ASachseHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns A−MelissaHealthier than 80% of U.S. towns
13Sachse
11Melissa

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

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

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Sachse’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.

Sachse$2,850/mo
Typical home $428K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.69% · or rent about $1,798/mo · Housing →
Melissa$2,750/mo
Typical home $422K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.51% · or rent about $2,532/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
SachseMelissa
Snow a year0″0″
January low—34°F
July high—92°F
Growing season (days)—254d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)62nd58th
Outdoors & history
SachseMelissa
Trails3 mi1 mi
Conserved land4.5%0.1%
Settled—1853
Archive photos—1
Famous people born here—1
Community
SachseMelissa
Library hours a week57 hrs40 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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.

SachseMelissaSachseMelissa
Sachse ↔ Melissa22 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.

SachseMelissa
People
Population 30,491Highest 20,136Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +33.3%Lowest TX: +15.9% +196.1%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 39.9±1.7Highest 12% above TX 36.3±1.5Lowest about the TX average
Kids under 18 24.3%±2.5Lowest TX: 25% 30.7%±4.5Highest TX: 25%
Melissa and Sachse are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.8%±1.9Highest TX: 13.4% 6.7%±1.8Lowest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 48.5%Lowest TX: 33.8% 52.6%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±1.2Highest TX: 6.2% 6%±2.1Lowest 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 $131,808±$9kLowest 68% above TX $138,763±$8kHighest 77% 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 $406,200±$21kLowest 43% above TX $454,000±$22kHighest 60% above TX
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,798±$103Lowest 28% above TX $2,532±$197Highest 80% above TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,873Highest 62% above TX $6,860Lowest 62% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52%±13.4Lowest TX: 51.7% 53.9%±19.9Highest 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 3.3%Highest TX: 13.8% 1.9%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 84.7%Lowest TX: 62.6% 88.7%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2005Lowest 13 yrs newer than TX 2015Highest 23 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minLowest 10% above TX 34 minHighest 26% above TX
Work from home 25.3%±3.9Lowest TX: 14.4% 29.4%±6Highest 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 1.5%Lowest 2.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.21Lowest 0.29Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Dallas (25%)Dallas (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MelissaFew work in Sachse
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.5%Highest 0.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 3.1 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 94.8Highest 70.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #107 of 583 in TX#29 of 583 in TX
School district GARLAND ISD · WYLIE ISDMELISSA ISD
High school in town Sachse H SMelissa H S
Students per teacherat that high school 17.3Highest 14.5Lowest
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.

Sachse neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

Weeknight Dinner Options

1 neighbor in Sachse can answer.

Melissa neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Melissa’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Sachse and Melissa

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Sachse

+ Compare
Garland246,844 people · $271K homes
+ Compare
Wylie60,334 people · $387K homes
+ Compare
Murphy21,188 people · $556K homes

Towns like Sachse

+ Compare
Katy25,184 people · $402K homes
+ Compare
Cibolo35,109 people · $352K homes
C
+ Compare
Corinth23,385 people · $376K homes
F
+ Compare
Friendswood41,030 people · $420K 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.

Post to Sachse

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in