Mesquite is a city located in Dallas County Texas. Mesquite has a 2024 population of 146,547. Mesquite is currently declining at a rate of -0.52% annually and its population has decreased by -2.06% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 149,627 in 2020.
The average household income in Mesquite is $80,817 with a poverty rate of 11.5%. The median age in Mesquite is 33.4 years: 31.3 years for males, and 35.9 years for females.
Mesquite is a suburb of both Dallas and Fort Worth and part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, the country's fourth-largest metro area with an estimated population of 7.3 million.
Almost 19% of Mesquite's population is foreign-born. Mesquite is a Hispanic-majority city. Mexican Americans are the largest subgroup followed by Salvadoran Americans. The African-American population of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area grew 178% between 2000 and 2010 with much of the growth in suburbs like Mesquite. Throughout Dallas County and Texas as a whole, the most recent census data shows decreasing populations of non-Hispanic whites. In a decade, Dallas lost over 200,000 white residents or about 20%.
In 1940, Mesquite had a population of just 1,050 which grew 62% by 1950. The next decade saw population growth of 1,523% to more than 27,000 people and 100% population growth the next decade to 55,000 in 1970. Mesquite posted strong double-digit growth up until 2010 when its growth slowed. Over the last decade, Mesquite has added an estimated 3,000 people. It seems things are changing in Mesquite, however.
After 15 years without a single new subdivision, Mesquite is showing signs that it's getting ready to grow again with a new development in 2017 and homes remaining on the market for just 14 days on average. Expansion and distribution center plans will also create new jobs in the community to fuel further growth in the coming years.
Mesquite is a fairly young city, founded in 1878 on land next to the Texas & Pacific Railway which ran from Shreveport, LA to Dallas. It was incorporated in 1887. During the early years, Mesquite was known for its outlaws but it grew in the 1900s as a farming community that used the railroad to ship goods like cotton, sugar, and corn. It wasn't until the end of WWII that the suburban boom in Dallas took off and Mesquite began to grow rapidly.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Mesquite was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 68,214 | 45.65% |
| Black or African American | 37,169 | 24.87% |
| Two or more races | 23,354 | 15.63% |
| Other race | 15,396 | 10.3% |
| Asian | 3,719 | 2.49% |
| Native American | 1,563 | 1.05% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 24 | 0.02% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 50,352 | 2.96 | 62 | 38 |
| Married | 22,873 | 3.57 | 80.8 | 19.2 |
| Non Family | 13,503 | 1.16 | 46.7 | 53.3 |
| Female | 10,660 | 3.61 | 47.3 | 52.7 |
| Male | 3,316 | 3.9 | 41.9 | 58.1 |
3.5
Average Family Size
2.96
Average Household Size
62.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 10,156 | 10.99% |
| Associates Degree | 7,270 | 7.87% |
| Bachelors Degree | 10,771 | 11.66% |
| Graduate Degree | 5,218 | 5.65% |
| High School Graduate | 28,280 | 30.6% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 7,471 | 8.09% |
| Some College | 23,238 | 25.15% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 34,628 | 21,457 | 3,157 |
| White | 30,597 | 28,268 | 6,784 |
| Black | 22,757 | 21,353 | 4,504 |
| 2+ Races | 10,813 | 7,350 | 1,757 |
| Other Race | 8,692 | 4,880 | 580 |
| Asian | 2,962 | 2,395 | 1,228 |
| Native American | 784 | 512 | 114 |
| Islander | 24 | 24 | 8 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 41.46%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $58,605 | $58,825 | $58,528 |
| Graduate Degree | $66,842 | $63,438 | $67,959 |
| High School Graduate | $34,912 | $41,584 | $25,895 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $33,990 | $38,447 | $22,793 |
| Overall | $41,229 | $46,307 | $35,294 |
| Some College | $46,383 | $54,190 | $39,249 |
$41,229
Average Earnings
$46,307
Average Male
$35,294
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
59.06% of Mesquite residents speak only English, while 40.94% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 36.95% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 66,213 | 8,149 | 12.31% |
| Black | 36,992 | 5,531 | 14.95% |
| Multiple | 22,895 | 3,133 | 13.68% |
| White | 37,077 | 2,676 | 7.22% |
| Other | 15,353 | 1,332 | 8.68% |
| Asian | 3,719 | 356 | 9.57% |
| Native | 1,563 | 34 | 2.18% |
11.5%
Overall Poverty Rate
9.09%
Male Poverty Rate
13.78%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Mesquite is Black, with 14.95% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Mesquite is Native, with 2.18% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.55%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.94%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 16.85%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 11.35% |
| High School | 8.74% |
| Some College | 8.39% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 6.18% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 27.94% |
| Male Unemployed | 21.08% |
| Female Employed | 7.38% |
| Male Employed | 3.62% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $75,444 | $87,224 |
| Households | $69,649 | $80,817 |
| Married Families | $97,208 | $104,855 |
| Non Families | $42,559 | $54,079 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
45.2%
Overall Marriage Rate
48.9%
Male Marriage Rate
41.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
5,219
Number of Veterans
4,645
Male Veterans
574
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 1,785 |
| Second Gulf War | 1,365 |
| First Gulf War | 1,045 |
| Korea | 345 |
| World War II | 118 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 1,466 |
| 35 to 54 | 1,176 |
| 75+ | 1,079 |
| 55 to 64 | 778 |
| 18 to 34 | 720 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 3,244 | 6.23% |
| Black | 1,284 | 4.88% |
| Hispanic | 748 | 1.73% |
| 2+ Races | 412 | 2.87% |
| Asian | 171 | 5.26% |
| Other Race | 90 | 0.86% |
| Native American | 18 | 1.7% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
3.63%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.33%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
70%
Labor Force Participation
66.7%
Employment Rate
4.7%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
61.02%
Born in Mesquite
80.01%
Native Born
19.99%
Foreign Born
12.58%
Non Citizen
7.41%
Naturalized
80.01% of Mesquite residents were born in the United States, with 61.02% having been born in Texas. 12.58% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 142,697 | -770 | -0.54% |
| 2028 | 143,467 | -770 | -0.53% |
| 2027 | 144,237 | -770 | -0.53% |
| 2026 | 145,007 | -770 | -0.53% |
| 2025 | 145,777 | -770 | -0.53% |
| 2024 | 146,547 | -770 | -0.52% |
| 2023 | 147,317 | -329 | -0.22% |
| 2022 | 147,646 | -76 | -0.05% |
| 2021 | 147,722 | -1,905 | -1.27% |
| 2020 | 149,627 | 8,833 | 6.27% |
| 2019 | 140,794 | -1,750 | -1.23% |
| 2018 | 142,544 | -1,695 | -1.18% |
| 2017 | 144,239 | -452 | -0.31% |
| 2016 | 144,691 | -298 | -0.21% |
| 2015 | 144,989 | 466 | 0.32% |
| 2014 | 144,523 | 891 | 0.62% |
| 2013 | 143,632 | 224 | 0.16% |
| 2012 | 143,408 | 1,833 | 1.29% |
| 2011 | 141,575 | 1,546 | 1.1% |
| 2010 | 140,029 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 124,523 | 23,039 | 22.7% |
| 1990 | 101,484 | 34,431 | 51.35% |
| 1980 | 67,053 | 11,922 | 21.62% |
| 1970 | 55,131 | 27,605 | 100.29% |
| 1960 | 27,526 | 27,426 | 27426% |
| 1900 | 100 | -142,597 | -99.93% |