Mesquite is East Dallas done right, home to the legendary Championship Rodeo, the 2025 Master-Planned Community of the Year at Solterra Texas, and homes priced 23% below the national average with downtown Dallas 15 minutes away. This is where value and opportunity are finally getting the attention they deserve.
Mesquite is an established city of about 150,000 on I-635, I-30 and I-20, mostly in Dallas County, where the median sale price sits near $283,000. You’ll find a historic railroad downtown, resale neighborhoods around Town East and new master-planned communities with PIDs on the south side. Here are 7 areas with dated price context.
Median about $290K
Older single-family homes around the original Texas & Pacific Railway town, near Front Street Station and the Downtown Mesquite Market.
Recent sales ran about 1,200 to 2,000 square feet; Redfin’s median was about $290,000, roughly $147 a square foot, for the three months ending April 2026. No PID. Mesquite ISD.
New homes from the $300s
A Huffines Communities master plan on the former Lucas Farm, with CastleRock, Shaddock, First Texas, David Weekley, Highland, Coventry and Cadence townhomes.
City data put 40-foot lots at an average of about $355,000 and townhomes near $335,000. In the 1,424-acre Solterra PID. Mesquite ISD.
From about $240K
A 612-acre Nehemiah Company community, formerly Spradley Farms, planned for about 2,500 homes, in the Kaufman County part of Mesquite.
Builders include Cadence, Chesmar, David Weekley, Drees and Highland; Cadence townhomes started near $239,990 in October 2026. Served by Forney ISD.
From about $400K
An 806-acre plan for about 1,007 lots, from 60-foot lots to one acre, with First Texas, GFO Home and Lillian Homes.
Plans started near $400,000 in 2026. In the Polo Ridge PID; homes use Forney addresses, and city records place it in Mesquite’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. Forney ISD.
Townhomes near $235K
A 54-acre Centurion American mixed-use plan with 336 homes and space for shops and restaurants beside the rodeo arena.
City PID data put average townhome taxable value near $235,400. In the Iron Horse PID, so check the assessment. School district by address.
Near the $283K city median
Established subdivisions around Town East Mall, mostly resale single-family homes with quick access to I-635 and US 80.
Neighborhood-level prices weren’t confirmed, so use recent comparable sales; the citywide median was about $283,000 in August 2026. No PID. Mesquite ISD.
Priced individually
Established neighborhoods such as Creek Crossing on the north side of the city, mostly resale.
Neighborhood prices weren’t confirmed with a primary source, so rely on recent comparable sales. No PID was found. Confirm the school district by address.
Swipe or drag sideways to see them all.
Redfin’s August 2026 median was about $283,000, down 4 percent, with homes selling in a median 56 days.
Prices ran about $158 a square foot.
The city cut its rate to $0.654018 per $100 for 2026–27, its lowest since 2016.
The average homestead’s city tax falls to about $1,827.
Solterra, Polo Ridge and Iron Horse each carry a public improvement district assessment on top of taxes.
Read the city’s required PID disclosure before you sign.
Most of the city is in Mesquite ISD, but Talia and Polo Ridge are served by Forney ISD.
Confirm the district for every address.
Mesquite was founded in 1873 as a Texas & Pacific Railway depot town and incorporated in 1887, according to the city and the Handbook of Texas. It counted 150,108 residents in the 2020 census (Census estimate 150,693 for July 2025) and sits mainly in Dallas County, with a portion in Kaufman County. Area names follow city, developer, builder and listing usage, and boundaries are approximate. Price figures are dated snapshots: Redfin’s August 2026 city median and three-month downtown median, City of Mesquite PID service-plan values and 2026 builder or aggregator starting prices; they are context, not values. PID details are from the City of Mesquite; assessments change each year. Polo Ridge’s city-limits status should be confirmed: the city’s TIRZ page places it in Mesquite’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, and builders market it with Forney addresses. Talia wasn’t found on the city’s PID list. Iron Horse Village’s school district, Town East and North Mesquite pricing and HOA dues weren’t confirmed. School districts are listed at the district level only and must be confirmed by address. The 2026–27 city rate of $0.654018 was adopted September 8, 2026; Mesquite ISD and county 2026 rates weren’t confirmed. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Mesquite’s scene runs from a historic downtown with barbecue served since 1959, Tex-Mex, coffee and a Saturday market, to Town East Mall and the grocery corridors along Town East Boulevard, plus summer rodeo nights. Here’s a 2026-checked list of 27.
Main St. & Broad St.
The original Texas & Pacific Railway town, with Mesquite’s oldest restaurant, a coffee shop, Tex-Mex and pizza, and Front Street Station, the city’s event plaza.
The Downtown Mesquite Market runs Saturday mornings in season.
145 E. Davis St.
Founded in 1959 by Herbert Oyler, inventor of the Oyler rotisserie smoker; the city calls it Mesquite’s oldest restaurant. Open Monday through Saturday.
214 W. Davis St., Ste. A
A family-owned shop in the Corner Theatre building; it started as a pop-up in 2018 and opened its storefront in 2019.
117 W. Main St.
Mexican and Tex-Mex in a historic city-owned building at the downtown plaza.
308 S. Galloway Ave.
Brick-oven pizza and Italian dishes downtown.
103 S. Broad St.
Tortillas made fresh each morning; open daily, with shorter Sunday hours.
717 N. Bryan Belt Line Rd.
Home-style breakfast and lunch, Monday through Saturday mornings to mid-afternoon.
3817 Pavillion Ct.
Breakfast and lunch, including vegan options.
2345 Oates Dr.
A diner serving breakfast all day.
313 US Hwy. 80 E.
A local diner on US 80.
2301 Oates Dr.
A local Mexican restaurant in north Mesquite.
100 W. Front St.
Produce grown within 150 miles and maker-sold goods, Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the 2026 season runs through November 28.
Front St. at Galloway Ave.
A $5.5 million plaza with a performance pavilion, opened in 2021; home to the summer Off the Rails concerts and the market.
1527 N. Galloway Ave.
A concert hall, art gallery and black box theater.
1818 Rodeo Dr.
Professional rodeo on summer Saturday nights in a climate-controlled arena; the 2026 season ran June 6 to August 29. Mesquite is the Legislature-designated Rodeo Capital of Texas.
2063 Town East Blvd.
An enclosed regional mall opened in 1971, with about 160 stores and four anchors; the city calls it Mesquite’s largest taxpayer.
200 US Hwy. 80 E.
A Walmart Supercenter near downtown.
915 N. Town East Blvd.
A smaller-format Walmart grocery store.
1220 N. Town East Blvd., Ste. 650
Produce-focused grocer, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
3635 Gus Thomasson Rd., Ste. A
A discount grocer near Towne Crossing.
1501 Pioneer Rd.
A supermarket with a pharmacy near Cartwright Road.
3600 Gus Thomasson Rd., Ste. 150
A Kroger in the Towne Crossing shopping center; confirm hours on Kroger’s site.
Former Sears, Town East Mall
A 58,000-square-foot entertainment center approved in 2025 for the former Sears; no opening date confirmed.
4617 Gus Thomasson Rd.
Reported in May 2026 as several months away; no date set.
2130 N. Belt Line Rd.
A state filing showed construction through late 2025; opening not confirmed.
1638 & 1730 N. Town East Blvd.
State construction filings target about April 2027 for Chick-fil-A and September 2027 for Whataburger.
I-20 at FM 741
H-E-B bought land in 2024 “in anticipation of future growth” but hasn’t announced a store; the nearest H-E-Bs are in Forney and Rockwall.
Mesquite’s food scene centers on downtown, home to the city’s oldest restaurant and a Saturday market, while most shopping clusters around Town East Mall on I-635.
There’s no H-E-B in Mesquite yet, and several openings are still pending.
Compiled October 2026. Listings are from the City of Mesquite, Visit Mesquite, the Downtown Mesquite directory, company store locators, state construction filings and 2025–2026 reporting, and were not confirmed with owners; call ahead to confirm hours and that a business is still open. Main Event, Alvarado Burgers and Wings, Taqueria El Arquito, Chick-fil-A and Whataburger are pending or targeted, and dates are likely to change; the H-E-B site has no announced store. Bull’s Pen Cafe’s status is from social and review listings, and Kroger’s from a map listing. Sources differ on the rodeo’s founding year (1946 or 1958), so none is given. Iron Horse Village retail, downtown antique shops and bakeries, and several restaurants mentioned online weren’t confirmed, so they aren’t listed. Businesses listed are for general local reference and are not endorsements; I receive no compensation from any business named. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
From a Railroad Depot on the Blackland Prairie to the Rodeo Capital of Texas
Before the railroad, the land was thinly settled Blackland Prairie, crossed by the creeks that gave the town its name.
South Mesquite Creek rises about a mile north of today’s Eastfield campus and runs roughly 14 miles southeast to the East Fork of the Trinity River. North Mesquite Creek rises near the I-30 and I-635 interchange and runs about 11 miles southeast. Both cross the dark, clay-rich soils of the Blackland Prairie. According to the Handbook of Texas, the town took its name from the nearby creek, not directly from the tree.
The Handbook says settlement here was “extremely sparse until the summer of 1873.” The open prairie supported grazing and scattered farms, and the mesquite trees that later spread across much of Texas gained ground as prairie fires ended and cattle grazed the grasslands. Native peoples traveled and hunted across the region long before Anglo settlement, though no Mesquite-specific site is documented in the sources used here.
Farm communities such as Scyene, Long Creek and Haught’s Store grew up decades before Mesquite, and their families later moved to the depot town.
A state marker records that settlers in the 1840s held public meetings under a tree at Scyene. From the 1850s, a series of two-story buildings there housed a Masonic lodge, church services and one of Dallas County’s first public schools, where a young Belle Starr was a pupil. When the Texas & Pacific bypassed Scyene in 1872, the town faded. Tripp Baptist Church’s marker says pioneers arrived nearby as early as 1845.
Captain A. Webb set up a Long Creek homestead as part of the Mercer Colony, and the first burial at Long Creek Cemetery took place in 1855. Zachariah Motley came from Kentucky in 1856, and the earliest marked grave in Mesquite Cemetery dates to 1859. Methodist services led by a circuit-riding preacher began in 1857, years before the town existed.
David and Julia Florence built their ranch house in 1871–72, two years before the town was platted; it’s Mesquite’s oldest preserved homestead.
David W. Florence and Julia Savannah Beaty Florence moved from Van Zandt County and, in January 1871, bought 207½ acres for $2,075. They built the first part of their frame house in 1871 and 1872, and Julia planted a bois d’arc hedgerow from seed. By the 1890s the homestead covered 730 acres of Blackland Prairie farmland, and the house had been enlarged with decorative wood trim on its gallery.
After David retired in 1908, his son Emet and Emet’s wife Perle ran the property as Meadow View Farm, known for Percheron horses, Hampshire sheep and prairie hay. Florence family members lived there for more than a century, and the house became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1978. It now sits on a four-acre city park at 1424 Barnes Bridge Road, run by Historic Mesquite, Inc.
In May 1873, railway engineer A.R. Alcott platted a new depot town named Mesquite on the Texas & Pacific line east of Dallas.
The official Texas marker says Alcott platted “a new depot town named Mesquite” in May 1873. Businesses first faced the tracks along Front Street; as the town grew, merchants turned their front doors toward Main Street to form a town square. The Handbook of Texas names station agent William Bradfield as the first settler, and families moved in from the nearby farm communities of Long Creek, New Hope, Haught’s Store and Scyene.
The railroad tied local farmers to distant markets, and the area shifted to a cotton economy. The Handbook notes, though, that dependence on cotton and limited diversification held back growth for decades. Front Street, the town’s first commercial row, is home today to Front Street Station, the city’s downtown event plaza, which hosts the Saturday market and summer concerts on the same ground where the depot town began.
Within a decade, Mesquite had a post office, its first churches, the Lawrence farmstead and a newspaper that still publishes.
A post office opened in 1874. That same year, Stephen Decatur Lawrence, son of an original Mercer Colony member, began building a small home on the 640 acres he received on his 21st birthday. In 1882, contractor Charley Florrer built the larger T-plan house with its Victorian central tower. The Baptist congregation built the town’s first church in 1877, and Methodists received land for their first building in 1880.
Fifteen residents organized the Mesquite Presbyterian Church in 1881. In 1882, R.S. Kimbrough started The Little Mesquiter, which became the Mesquite News; the Handbook calls it Dallas County’s longest-running newspaper. The Lawrence family lived on their farmstead until 1995. It’s now the 13-acre Opal Lawrence Historical Park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and open to visitors as a living reminder of the town’s farm roots.
Sam Bass’s gang held up a Texas & Pacific train at Mesquite and got just $152, missing a hidden $30,000.
The 1968 state marker, about 100 yards northwest of downtown, names the robbers as Sam Bass, Seab Barnes, Hank Underwood, “Arkansas” Johnson and Frank Jackson. It says they held up a Texas & Pacific train on April 10, 1878, taking $152 but missing a hidden $30,000 shipment. It was the last in a string of North Texas train holdups that spring, after Allen in February and Eagle Ford earlier in April.
The City of Round Rock’s history says Barnes was wounded at Mesquite and that “a cry of indignation went out from the people of North Texas.” Lawmen stepped up their pursuit after the robbery. Bass was mortally wounded in a gunfight with Texas Rangers at Round Rock that July and died on July 21, 1878, his 27th birthday. The Mesquite marker still tells the story downtown.
Residents incorporated Mesquite on December 3, 1887, re-incorporated in 1903 after a legal challenge and formed Mesquite ISD in 1901.
The Handbook of Texas dates incorporation to December 3, 1887, with J.E. Russell, a charter member of the Methodist church, as first mayor. The official marker adds that in 1903, following a legal challenge, the city re-incorporated with new boundaries. The town square was built in 1901, and the Mesquite Telephone Exchange opened in 1900. In 1904, Dallas Pressed Brick Company opened just outside town as the area’s first manufacturing plant.
Education came early. The Mesquite Community School was founded in 1885, and Mesquite Independent School District formed in 1901; its first building opened in 1902 at 300 E. Davis Street with 200 students. The town stayed small for years: the Handbook’s census table shows 135 residents in 1890, 406 in 1900 and 687 in 1910, still a farm town centered on cotton and the railroad.
Mesquite added power, water, gas and an interurban rail line to Dallas, hosted a Depression-era CCC camp and opened its first park.
An electric company was founded in 1914. The town gained water and sewer service in 1923 and natural gas in 1925. The Dallas–Terrell interurban arrived in 1923, and Scyene Road, later State Highway 352, was paved to Dallas in 1926. Mesquite High School opened in 1924 with full state accreditation, giving local students a complete high school without leaving town, as the Handbook of Texas records.
In June 1935, Civilian Conservation Corps Company 850 brought 250 young men to a camp just east of town. Until 1941 they did soil conservation work on more than 40,000 acres; the site is now the Mesquite High School baseball fields, marked by a state historical marker. In 1947, with about 1,600 residents, the city opened City Lake Park, its first park, on 12.5 donated acres.
Mesquite grew from 1,696 residents in 1950 to more than 55,000 in 1970, adding the rodeo, Big Town, Eastfield College and Town East Mall.
In 1950 the city covered less than one square mile and had 1,696 residents. Annexations brought it to 20.6 square miles and 27,526 residents by 1960, and to 55,131 by 1970, as newcomers commuted to jobs in Dallas. Mesquite adopted a home-rule charter in 1953. Big Town opened in 1959 near US 80, described by The Dallas Morning News as the Southwest’s first enclosed, air-conditioned shopping center.
Neal Gay and partners launched the Mesquite Championship Rodeo as a permanent weekly rodeo in 1958, according to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, though some local sources say 1957. Eastfield College, now Dallas College Eastfield Campus, opened in 1970. Town East Mall opened on October 6, 1971, as the largest shopping mall in Dallas–Fort Worth at the time, along the new I-635.
Mesquite bought its airport, built its rodeo arena, was named the Rodeo Capital of Texas and opened the Mesquite Arts Center.
The city annexed the community of Lawson in 1982. In 1983 it bought Phil L. Hudson Municipal Airport and renamed it Mesquite Metro Airport, a reliever for DFW International; UPS became the largest private employer that same year. The current rodeo arena on Rodeo Drive opened in the mid-1980s, and national television broadcasts from Mesquite, starting with ESPN, brought the weekly rodeo to audiences across the country.
In 1993 the Texas Legislature declared Mesquite the “Rodeo Capital of Texas.” The Mesquite Arts Center opened in December 1995; its 36,700-square-foot building includes a 494-seat concert hall and is home to the Mesquite Symphony Orchestra, the Mesquite Community Band and Mesquite Arts Theatre. That same year, the Lawrence farmstead passed to the city and became Opal Lawrence Historical Park.
Mesquite lost Big Town, gained Front Street Station and new factories, planned a Town East redevelopment and passed 150,000 residents.
Big Town’s last anchor closed in 2001, and the mall was demolished in 2006. Downtown, the city opened Front Street Station on May 22, 2021, a $5.5 million project on the original railroad-front street. The 2020 Census counted 150,108 residents. By 2021, the Handbook of Texas reports, the city had begun a major buildout of more than 10,000 additional homes on its south and southeast sides.
Hithium opened a battery energy storage plant of about 484,000 square feet in May 2025, and Canadian Solar began producing panels at a Mesquite plant in late 2023, per trade press. In October 2025 the council approved plans to redevelop Town East Mall’s former Sears with Main Event, restaurants and a possible hotel. In September 2026 it adopted a $0.654018 rate, the lowest since 2016.
Compiled from the Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas (Mesquite, Florence Ranch Homestead and Mesquite Creek entries), Texas Historical Commission marker text on the City of Mesquite’s Historic Markers page, the City of Round Rock, the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, Visit Mesquite, The Dallas Morning News, City of Mesquite releases, Hithium and trade press. Sources differ on the rodeo’s founding (1958 per the ProRodeo Hall of Fame; 1957 per Visit Mesquite) and the arena’s opening (1985 or 1986), so the arena is dated to the mid-1980s. Big Town details are from The Dallas Morning News and secondary sources. Canadian Solar details are from trade press. Pioneer names often attributed to the area, such as the Peters Colony, weren’t confirmed for Mesquite; local markers cite the Mercer Colony. The 2026 rate cut lowered the city rate, though the budget projected higher total property tax revenue. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Saturday-Night Rodeo, Free Downtown Concerts and Three December Traditions
Professional rodeo with bull riding, bronc riding, barrel racing and roping, plus kids’ activities, at 7:30 p.m. Running every summer since 1958, per the Handbook of Texas; the 2026 season ran June 6 to August 29. Next: summer 2027.
Tickets are sold through the rodeo’s official site; prices vary by seat.
The arena is climate-controlled.
Free concerts by local bands, 7 to 9 p.m.; bring a chair. Launched in 2022 and held each year since; the 2026 season ran July 4 to August 22. Next: 2027.
Produce grown within 150 miles, artisan goods and live music, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with summer night markets. Held 2025 and 2026; runs through November 28, 2026.
Folklórico dance, mariachi, sugar-skull and craft workshops, a vendor market and food trucks. Free. Held 2022 through 2025; next: the 10th annual, Saturday, October 24, 2026, 3 to 6 p.m.
Presented by the Mesquite Arts Council at 1527 N. Galloway Ave.
Cara Mia Theatre’s giant puppets have been part of recent celebrations.
Holiday lights, cocoa, crafts, photos with Santa, performances and a fireworks finale, 2 to 8 p.m. Free admission; activity wristbands sold. A tradition of more than 30 years, held in 2022, 2024 and 2025; next: December 5–6, 2026.
Run by the City of Mesquite.
Confirm times on the city’s event page before you go.
Cocoa, Santa, a holiday gift market and the downtown tree lighting at 6 p.m. Free. Held 2022, 2024 and December 2, 2025; 2026 date not yet announced.
The 1871 ranch house decorated for the season, with tours, crafts, cocoa and Father Christmas. Free. Held 2021, 2022 and December 13, 2025; 2026 date not yet announced.
Summer belongs to the Saturday-night rodeo and free concerts at Front Street Station; December brings three holiday traditions.
Mesquite doesn’t host a city fireworks show, and fireworks are illegal inside city limits.
Dates move for weather, so check with organizers before you go.
Timing shown is the usual pattern for each event; exact dates, times and locations change from year to year and should be confirmed with organizers. Event details are from the City of Mesquite, Downtown Mesquite, the Mesquite Arts Center, the Mesquite Championship Rodeo, Visit Mesquite, the Handbook of Texas and local reporting; each event listed was found in at least two years. The 2026 Christmas in the Park dates come from an undated city page that matches the 2026 calendar. The Real. Texas. Festival was last confirmed in 2015, and the Mesquite balloon festival found online is in Mesquite, Nevada, so neither is shown. A Juneteenth celebration, Veterans Day ceremony, National Night Out and pumpkin festival weren’t confirmed in two years by primary sources, and nearby events in Garland, Balch Springs, Sunnyvale and Forney weren’t verified for this list. Symphony, band and marching festival schedules change each season; check the Mesquite Arts Center and Mesquite ISD. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
What to know about Mesquite schools:
The rating: Check TXschools.gov for Mesquite ISD’s current status.
Nearby: Dallas College Eastfield Campus, at 3737 Motley Dr., offers college courses and dual credit. Texas treats homeschools as private schools.
Want the full breakdown? Read our complete Mesquite schools guide →
Most Mesquite homes are in Mesquite ISD, a district of about 37,000 students that earned a B in 2026 and is renovating under a $600 million bond. Newer south-side communities such as Talia and Polo Ridge are in Forney ISD. Confirm the district by address.
District-wide
Covers about 60 square miles along I-635 from I-20 to I-30, serving most of Mesquite plus parts of Garland, Balch Springs and Dallas, in five feeder patterns.
District rating: B in 2026, preliminary and subject to appeal, and a final B in 2025, a full letter grade up from 2023, per the district.
Enrollment has fallen about 10 percent since 2016. Review current ratings at TXschools.gov.
Across the district
Mesquite High (300 E. Davis St.), North Mesquite High, West Mesquite High, Poteet High (3300 Poteet Dr.) and John Horn High (3300 E. Cartwright Rd.) are the comprehensive high schools.
Vanguard High, Mesquite Academy and The Learning Center offer other high school programs. Campuses are listed by name and location only.
Across the district
Middle schools include Agnew, Berry, Frasier, Kimbrough (3900 N. Galloway Ave.), McDonald (2930 Town East Blvd.), Terry (2351 Edwards Church Rd.), Vanston (3230 Karla Dr.), Wilkinson, Woolley and a newer middle school.
A nearby campus isn’t necessarily the assigned one. Check the district’s attendance tools.
Across the district
Thirty-four elementary schools, from Achziger and Austin to Tisinger and Tosch; some sit in Balch Springs, Garland or Dallas.
The 2025 bond includes consolidating and replacing the two oldest elementary schools and a new pre-K center. Confirm the campus for each address.
District-wide
Voters approved $600 million in May 2025, with about 63 percent voting yes, for safety upgrades, storm shelters, replacing portable classrooms, buses, roofs and technology.
Voters also approved a $325 million bond in 2018 and a 3-cent operating rate increase in 2022.
District-wide
The 2026 rate is $1.0862 per $100 if Proposition A fails on November 3, 2026, or $1.1762 if it passes; the measure adds 9 cents to the operating rate.
The district projects more than $16 million a year for programs, pay, special education and safety. Owners 65 and older keep their school tax ceiling.
On a $285,000 homestead, the school share is about $1,575, or about $1,705 if Prop A passes, after the $140,000 exemption.
Kaufman County side
Newer communities on the Kaufman County side, including Talia and Polo Ridge, are served by Forney ISD, with its own tax rate.
Talia’s developer plans a future elementary school inside the community. Check the school district on the appraisal record before you buy.
3737 Motley Dr.
Eastfield has served Mesquite since 1970, with career programs from drafting and digital imaging to automotive technology, plus dual credit for Mesquite ISD students.
Dallas College also levies a tax on Dallas County parcels: $0.106575 per $100. Main line: 972-860-7100.
District
Pre-K enrollment for 2026–27 opened April 1 for children turning 3, 4 or 5 by September 1, with tuition-based full-day pre-K also offered for 4-year-olds.
The district posts transfer and open-enrollment rules and a Bus Route Finder; check eligibility for your address.
Area
Texas treats homeschools as private schools; TEA doesn’t register or regulate them. Private and charter campuses operate in and around Mesquite.
No private or charter campus was confirmed for this page. Confirm each school’s location and admissions directly.
Most of the city is in Mesquite ISD, but Talia and Polo Ridge are served by Forney ISD.
Check the school district on the appraisal record and the district’s attendance tools.
On a $285,000 homestead, the Mesquite ISD share runs about $1,575 after the $140,000 state exemption, or about $1,705 if Prop A passes.
Owners 65 and older pay about $923 the first year, then a ceiling applies.
Mesquite ISD earned a B in 2026 (preliminary) and a B in 2025.
Check TXschools.gov for the district’s current status.
Proposition A would add 9 cents to the operating rate, about $11 a month on a $285,000 homestead.
Early voting runs October 19–30.
Accountability ratings are shown at the district level only; campus ratings are intentionally not shown, and campuses are listed by name and location only. Ratings change every year; use TXschools.gov for current ratings. The 2026 B is from Mesquite ISD’s August 2026 release and is preliminary; the 2025 B is final. Earlier grades and numeric scores weren’t confirmed, and sources conflict on 2024. Enrollment is from state data via the Texas Tribune and the district; campus counts vary by source. Campus addresses are from federal and district listings; some weren’t confirmed. Bond figures are from the district and Ballotpedia. The 2026 school rate depends on the November 3, 2026 Proposition A election; the City of Mesquite’s tax page still lists older school exemption amounts, and this page uses the current $140,000 and $60,000 state exemptions. Forney ISD assignments for Talia and Polo Ridge are from developer and builder materials. No other district was confirmed for Mesquite city addresses. School tax examples are illustrations, not quotes. School district and campus assignment is determined by address and must be confirmed with the district. School information is provided for general reference only and is not a recommendation regarding any school, district, neighborhood or property. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Median Sales Price
What Mesquite homes actually sold for each month. With decades-old resales trading alongside new builder closings in Solterra, Talia and Polo Ridge, the mix of what sold moves this line as much as the market does.
Mesquite’s median moves with which homes sold: older resales, Talia townhomes or new south-side builds. Redfin’s August 2026 median was about $283,000, down 4 percent from a year earlier, with homes selling near 97.8 percent of list. Read the trend, not one month.
A decades-old ranch home, a new Solterra home on a 40-foot lot and a Talia townhome can all land on this one line. The chart is not your comp. Your comps match your size, age, lot, county, school district and any PID.
Texas is a non-disclosure state, so portal prices are models. This is MLS. Ask for the actual comparable sales, plus any PID installment, the county and whether the address is in Mesquite ISD or Forney ISD.
Days on market describes how buyers behaved. Redfin reported a median of about 56 days to sell in August 2026, and about 42 percent of listings had a price drop, a market with room to negotiate.
The first two weeks bring the most traffic a listing will ever get. If they pass without an offer, that is pricing information. Acting in week three beats acting in week ten.
When homes sit longer, there’s usually room to negotiate on price, repairs or closing costs. A listing that has waited a while is usually where the negotiating room is, and builders often compete with rate buydowns and closing-cost help; ask what’s on the table.
Under 10 showings means buyers are deciding quickly. Rising counts mean people are walking through and walking away, which is a different problem from nobody looking at all.
This separates a pricing problem from a presentation problem. Plenty of showings and no offer usually means something specific is putting people off, and that is fixable without dropping the price.
High showings-to-pending means you can be selective without losing homes. Read it against days on market: low on both is a hot market, high on both means the leverage is yours.
Check how many homes closed before you read anything into the price or days-on-market charts. A month heavy with new south-side closings can lift the median more than the market did, and a month heavy with older resales can pull it down.
Your competition includes builders in Solterra, Talia and Polo Ridge, plus resales in Garland, Balch Springs and Forney. Price against true comparables and have your permit and repair records ready for buyers.
Inventory runs from postwar ranch homes to new construction. Confirm the county, any PID and the school district early, because they affect your monthly cost more than the price chart does.
Charts supplied by NTREIS via 10K Research and Marketing and update automatically. Data reflects residential activity reported to the MLS and may be revised as late-reported sales come in. Mesquite spans Dallas and Kaufman counties, and some homes near the city use Forney or other mailing addresses, so MLS city fields may not match the city boundary. The median, days on market, sale-to-list ratio and share of price drops are Redfin’s for August 2026. These charts do not separate the two counties, PID homes, new construction or resale, or the Mesquite ISD and Forney ISD parts of the city. Market statistics describe the area as a whole and are not a substitute for a comparative market analysis on a specific property. Texas is a non-disclosure state, so publicly available sale prices elsewhere are estimates rather than recorded figures. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Pick a purchase year and the price fills in. If you own here, type over it with what you actually paid. This calculator runs on the Dallas County index, the federal repeat-sales measure for the county that holds most of Mesquite. A home bought in 2015 is worth about twice its price on the index, with the biggest jump between 2020 and 2022 and no gain from 2024 to 2025.
Bought here? Tap the number and enter what you paid.
Federal house price index growth, indexed to the purchase year, where the purchase year equals 100.
From 2015 to 2025 the Dallas County index nearly doubled, with a 34 percent jump between 2020 and 2022.
It was flat from 2024 to 2025, and Mesquite’s median slipped in 2026.
Redfin’s August 2026 Mesquite median was about $283,300, and the city’s 2026 average homestead taxable value is about $279,300.
Type over the prefilled price with what you actually paid.
Owners who bought before 2021 carry large gains; many who bought from 2022 to 2025 have little or none.
Indexes are county-wide, so value any specific property from true comparables.
A $285,000 homestead in Mesquite ISD pays about $4,680 to $4,860 at 2026 rates, depending on two November 3 votes.
In Solterra, the PID adds roughly $3,500 to $4,000 a year on a typical new home.
Growth rates are the FHFA All-Transactions House Price Index, annual values 2009 through 2025: Dallas County, Texas (FRED series ATNHPIUS48113A, base 2000 equals 100, last updated 31 March 2026), the State of Texas (TXSTHPI) and the United States (USSTHPI). State and national figures are annual averages of published quarters. The Dallas County series recorded 155.22 in 2015, 283.86 in 2022 and 306.66 in 2025. FHFA describes county indices as developmental and subject to revision, and the annual series does not cover 2026. No city-specific index was used, and Mesquite medians for 2015 and 2020 weren’t found. The prefilled dollar figures are derived and illustrative, not published: they apply the Dallas County index to a $285,000 anchor between Redfin’s August 2026 Mesquite median ($283,313) and the City of Mesquite’s 2026 average homestead taxable value ($279,279). The index is built from conforming loans and excludes jumbo lending and all-cash purchases. Equity figures assume a 30-year fixed mortgage at that year’s Freddie Mac annual average rate (2025 approximately 6.6 percent), held to today, with no refinancing, no extra principal and no additional borrowing. They exclude closing costs, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, improvements and selling costs. The tax example uses 2026 rates for a Dallas County homestead in Mesquite ISD: the City of Mesquite’s adopted 0.654018; Mesquite ISD’s 1.0862, or 1.1762 if Proposition A passes; Dallas County’s adopted 0.24865, which falls to 0.22465 if voters reject it; Parkland Hospital’s 0.212; and Dallas College’s 0.106575, proposed and reported adopted. It assumes a $285,000 appraised value for an owner under 65 with no homestead cap benefit, applying the $140,000 school exemption, no city general homestead exemption and a 20 percent homestead exemption for the county, Parkland and Dallas College; at the middle scenario the bill is about $4,732. For an owner 65 or older, the first-year figure is about $3,088, using the $60,000 school, $65,000 city and $100,000 county, Parkland and Dallas College exemptions; the Parkland and Dallas College amounts are from a title company chart. The Solterra PID range is the average 40-foot-lot installment reported in city council presentations; installments change yearly. Kaufman County-side homes in Talia and Polo Ridge pay Forney ISD and Kaufman County rates instead and aren’t illustrated. It is an illustration, not a quote. The homestead appraisal cap limits increases in a homestead’s taxable appraised value to 10 percent a year and ends on sale. This is an illustration for general reference, not an appraisal, a comparative market analysis, a valuation or investment advice. Past appreciation does not predict future appreciation. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Mesquite is an established city of 150,108 residents (2020) on I-635, I-30 and I-20, where the August 2026 median sale price was about $283,000. The trade-offs are real: two tax elections on November 3, PID assessments in new neighborhoods and no DART rail.
Estimated Off-Peak Drive Time from Downtown Mesquite
Around Town and Beyond
Estimated minutes off-peak from Main and Broad streets. These are planning estimates, so check a live map before relying on any of them.
The council cut the city rate to $0.654018 per $100 for 2026–27, down 7.19 percent and the lowest since 2016.
The budget still adds two firefighters and $40 million for streets and alleys.
More than 1,600 acres of parkland and 17-plus miles of trails, including the 4.25-mile Mesquite Heritage Trail.
Four recreation centers and four pools round it out.
The fire department has held an ISO Class 1 rating since 2007.
Dallas County-side homes get twice-weekly trash pickup, plus weekly recycling and bulky-item collection.
Canadian Solar, Hithium and Hexagon Purus have opened manufacturing plants in Mesquite.
TxDOT finished the $1.74 billion I-635 East rebuild in September 2026.
New communities such as Solterra carry PID assessments, and there’s no DART rail, only on-demand STAR Transit.
The minimum city utility bill is $77.06 a month, and the North Branch Library is closing.
On November 3, voters decide Mesquite ISD’s Proposition A and a Dallas County tax rate election.
Main Event at Town East has no opening date, and H-E-B’s land has no announced store.
Drive times are planning estimates from Main and Broad streets, not live traffic; check a live map before you rely on them. Rush-hour times can run much longer. The median is Redfin’s August 2026 figure. Tax rate and budget details are from the City of Mesquite’s adopted FY2027 budget and tax ordinances. Park and trail figures are from the city and its 2022 Parks Master Plan; sources differ on trail mileage. The ISO rating, trash schedules and utility minimum are from the City of Mesquite; water and sewer rates rose 3 percent on October 1, 2026. Manufacturer details are from Mesquite Economic Development and company announcements. The I-635 East scope and completion are from TxDOT. The library closure is from local reporting of the adopted budget. Election details are from Mesquite ISD and Dallas County. Main Event and H-E-B status are from the city and news reports as of October 2026. Mesquite isn’t a DART member city. No crime, school ranking or flood zone claims are made. This information is provided for general reference and is not a representation about any specific property, commute or future development outcome. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Answered with verified specifics, from the 2026 tax rate cut, PIDs and two November elections to utilities, trash, transit, I-635 and Town East.
The council adopted $0.654018 per $100 on September 8, 2026, down from $0.704692, a cut of about 7.19 percent and the lowest city rate since 2016.
The city estimates the average homestead’s city tax falls from about $1,894 to $1,827, even as its average taxable value rises to about $279,279. Total city property tax revenue still grows about 5 percent, largely from new construction added to the rolls.
The city rate is only part of the bill. The school district, Dallas County, Dallas College and Parkland Hospital also tax Dallas County-side homes, and two of those rates depend on November 3, 2026 elections. Compare the full tax stack, not just the city line.
For an owner under 65 in Mesquite ISD on the Dallas County side, roughly $4,680 to $4,860 a year, depending on the November 3 elections; the middle estimate is about $4,732.
That’s about $1,864 to the city, which has no general homestead exemption; $1,575 to Mesquite ISD after the $140,000 exemption; $567 to Dallas County, or $512 if its rate election fails; $483 to Parkland Hospital; and $243 to Dallas College, with a 20 percent homestead exemption on those last three.
If Mesquite ISD’s Proposition A passes, the school line rises about $130. Homes in a PID, such as Solterra, add an annual assessment. Treat this as an illustration and ask for the tax certificate.
Yes. Qualifying owners 65 and older or disabled get a tax ceiling on city and school taxes, set at the amount owed in the year they qualify; it generally holds unless you add major improvements.
The City of Mesquite also offers a $65,000 over-65 exemption and a $15,000 disabled exemption. Mesquite ISD gives the state’s $140,000 homestead exemption plus $60,000 more for owners 65 or older or disabled. Dallas County, Parkland and Dallas College add $100,000 for over-65 owners, per a title company chart.
Using those amounts, a $285,000 homestead owned by someone 65 or older pays about $3,088 the first year. The city’s own tax page still lists older school exemption amounts, so confirm on your appraisal record.
Most Mesquite homes are in Dallas County, so file with the Dallas Central Appraisal District at dallascad.org; its office is at 2949 N. Stemmons Freeway in Dallas, 214-631-0520.
Homes on the Kaufman County side, including Talia and Polo Ridge, file with the Kaufman Central Appraisal District, 972-932-6081. The appraisal record shows which county and taxing units apply to your address.
You must own the home and live in it as your principal residence on January 1, and the usual deadline is April 30. The homestead cap, which limits increases in taxable value to 10 percent a year, begins after your first full year with the exemption. The protest deadline is generally May 15 or 30 days after your value notice.
Most of the city is in Mesquite ISD, which covers about 60 square miles along I-635 from I-20 to I-30 and also serves parts of Garland, Balch Springs and Dallas. It has about 37,000 students on roughly 51 campuses.
Mesquite ISD earned a B in TEA’s 2026 ratings, preliminary and subject to appeal, and a final B in 2025.
Newer communities on the Kaufman County side, including Talia and Polo Ridge, are reported to be in Forney ISD, with its own tax rate. Confirm the district on the appraisal record and the campus with the district’s attendance tools before you write an offer, since zones change as campuses are consolidated.
It’s a voter-approval tax rate election on November 3, 2026, called unanimously by the school board. It would raise the district’s operating rate by 9 cents per $100.
The district projects more than $16 million a year for fine arts, athletics, career programs, special education, safety and at least a 2 percent staff raise; an earlier board estimate was $22.4 million. On a $285,000 homestead, it adds about $130 a year, or roughly $11 a month.
Owners 65 and older with a school tax ceiling keep their frozen school taxes. The district says it has cut about $50 million in spending over two years. Early voting runs October 19 through 30. Read the official ballot language before you vote.
Dallas County adopted $0.248650 per $100 for 2026, up from $0.215500 and above its voter-approval rate of $0.224650, so state law requires an election. Commissioners approved the order 3 to 2 on August 11, 2026.
The county says the extra revenue would fund homelessness, mental health and housing programs starting in 2027. If voters reject it, the rate falls back to $0.224650.
On a $285,000 Mesquite homestead, with the county’s 20 percent homestead exemption, the difference is about $55 a year. Kaufman County-side homes in Mesquite aren’t affected, since they pay Kaufman County instead. Dallas County tax bills are expected after the election.
The city has four public improvement districts: Solterra, Polo Ridge Ranch, Iron Horse and Heartland Town Center. A PID charges an annual assessment, on top of property taxes, to repay bonds that built neighborhood streets, utilities and amenities.
Solterra covers 1,424 acres with about 3,900 planned lots; council presentations put average 40-foot-lot installments near $3,500 to $4,000 a year. Iron Horse funds a 54-acre mixed-use village by the rodeo arena, and Polo Ridge covers about 806 acres in Kaufman County.
City Ordinance 5008 requires builders and developers to give a PID disclosure, and 2026 buyer disclosures are posted on the city’s PID pages. P3Works administers the districts, at 817-393-0353, and can quote a lot’s balance.
Apply online or in person with Utility Billing at City Hall, 757 N. Galloway Ave., 972-216-6208, weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The minimum deposit is $100.
New Dallas County-side accounts pay a one-time $75 cart fee for a 45-gallon trash cart; Kaufman County-side accounts get a 95-gallon cart. For 24-hour water and sewer emergencies, call 972-288-7711.
The minimum residential bill is about $77.06 a month, covering base water, sewer, trash, drainage and tax, and water and sewer rates rose 3 percent on October 1, 2026. Electricity, gas and internet are separate; check each provider’s address tool and the FCC broadband map before move-in day.
On the Dallas County side, the city collects trash twice a week, on Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday; on the Kaufman County side, it’s once a week. Recycling is picked up weekly.
Grass, leaves and small brush go out on Wednesdays. Bulky items and large brush are collected weekly at the front curb by 7:30 a.m., set out no more than 24 hours early, with a limit of 8 cubic yards.
Bags plus the container can’t exceed 50 pounds, and collection happens on the side where your driveway is. Check the city’s collection schedule page for your days, and sign up for reminders so a holiday week doesn’t catch you off guard.
No. Mesquite isn’t a DART member city, so there’s no DART rail or regular bus service in town.
Instead, STAR Transit runs STARNow, an on-demand ride service booked through its app or at 877-631-5278. Its Mesquite zone includes City Hall, Town East Mall, the Lake Ray Hubbard Transit Center and DART’s Lawnview Station, where riders can connect to the Green Line. Fares have been $1 to $2.
Sources conflict on the current weekday shuttle schedule to Lawnview, so check STAR Transit before relying on it. Most residents commute by car on I-635, I-30, I-20 and US 80. Test your route at rush hour before you buy.
Beyond the lower tax rate, the adopted budget adds two firefighters and a police case specialist and includes about $40 million for street and alley projects, including La Prada Drive and Lawson Road.
It also closes the North Branch Library, moving its materials to the Florence Recreation Center, according to local reporting. Water and sewer rates rose 3 percent on October 1, 2026.
The city’s fire department has held an ISO Class 1 rating since 2007, which insurers may use in pricing; ask your agent how it applies. The city’s sales tax is 8.25 percent, including a half-cent for the Mesquite Quality of Life Corporation for transportation, public safety and parks.
Dallas Regional Medical Center is at 1011 N. Galloway Ave., 214-320-7000, an acute-care hospital with a 24-hour emergency department, cardiac surgery, orthopedics and imaging. Sources differ on its bed count.
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center–Sunnyvale, at 231 S. Collins Rd. in Sunnyvale, 972-892-3000, is a 70-bed hospital with a 24-hour emergency department, about 10 minutes from downtown Mesquite off-peak.
On the far south side, Texas Health opened a Breeze Urgent Care at Heartland Town Center in March 2026. Freestanding ERs weren’t confirmed for this answer. Call 911 in an emergency, and check your insurance network for the facilities closest to your address.
The city reports more than 1,600 acres of parkland and more than 17 miles of trails. Its 2022 Parks Master Plan also counts four recreation centers, four swimming pools, eight pavilions and the 100-acre Rorie-Galloway Day Camp.
The Mesquite Heritage Trail, a 4.25-mile route opened in 2015, links neighborhoods to the Mesquite Golf Club, schools and recreation centers, and the city calls it its largest recreational facility.
Beyond the parks, the Mesquite Arts Center hosts the symphony and community theater, and the Mesquite Championship Rodeo runs Saturday nights in summer. Check the city’s parks pages for pool seasons, pavilion rentals and recreation center hours.
Yes. TxDOT’s $1.74 billion 635 East Project rebuilt and widened about 11 miles of I-635 from US 75 to I-30 in Mesquite, including the I-30 interchange, and held its ribbon cutting on September 14, 2026.
The corridor now has 10 general-purpose lanes plus two managed toll lanes. Work began in spring 2020 and ran about six years, well past an original late-2024 target.
Finished highways don’t end road work. The city’s 2026–27 budget includes about $40 million for street and alley reconstruction, so expect local work zones. Check TxDOT and the city’s project pages before timing a commute or a move.
The city partnered with a developer to redevelop the former Sears, empty since 2021. The plan calls for a 58,000-square-foot Main Event with bowling, laser tag, an arcade and escape rooms, approved by the council in May 2025.
The agreement requires a 10-year lease secured by 2026, and later zoning approval allows restaurants, a conference center and a possible hotel. Main Event estimated eight to nine months of construction, but an opening date hadn’t been confirmed as of October 2026.
Town East Mall opened in 1971 with Macy’s, Dillard’s, JCPenney and Dick’s as anchors, and the city calls it Mesquite’s largest taxpayer. Check the mall’s directory for current stores.
Not announced. H-E-B bought about 25.6 acres south of I-20 near FM 741, in the Kaufman County part of Mesquite at the Heartland entrance, in October 2024, saying it was planning for future growth.
Zoning presented to the city described a large grocery store with a fuel station, but H-E-B hasn’t said when or whether it will build. The nearest H-E-B stores are in Forney and Rockwall.
Mesquite already has a Walmart Supercenter, a Walmart Neighborhood Market, Sprouts, ALDI, Tom Thumb and a Kroger. Don’t pay a premium for a home based on a store that hasn’t been announced.
Falling slightly. Redfin’s August 2026 Mesquite median was about $283,000, down 4 percent from a year earlier, with homes taking a median 56 days to sell and prices near $158 a square foot.
The Dallas County home price index was flat from 2024 to 2025 after nearly doubling from 2015, so many recent buyers have little equity. Downtown’s older homes sold near $290,000 in early 2026, while new homes in Solterra start in the $300s.
With buyers taking longer to decide, there’s room to negotiate price, repairs or closing costs. For a specific home, recent comparable sales nearby are the true guide, not a citywide median.
Freddie Mac’s survey put the 30-year fixed average at 7.28 percent on October 1, 2026, the highest since late 2023; the 15-year was 6.60 percent. Rates move weekly, so get a current quote.
The 2026 conforming limit is $832,750, and the FHA limit for a one-unit home in Dallas County is $563,500, per lender tables; confirm it on HUD’s lookup. Most Mesquite homes fall well under both.
Ask your lender to include the full tax stack, any PID assessment and the November election outcomes in your payment estimate, and ask about state down payment programs from TSAHC and TDHCA.
Mostly on the south and southeast sides. Solterra, a Huffines Communities master plan off E. Cartwright Road, has CastleRock, Shaddock, First Texas, David Weekley, Highland, Coventry and Cadence townhomes, with homes starting in the $300s.
Talia, a 612-acre Nehemiah Company community on FM 2757, has Cadence, Chesmar, David Weekley, Drees and Highland, with townhomes from about $240,000; it’s served by Forney ISD. Polo Ridge offers larger lots from about $400,000 with First Texas, GFO Home and Lillian Homes.
Iron Horse Village adds townhomes by the rodeo arena. Most of these communities carry PID assessments, and Polo Ridge’s city-limits status should be confirmed. Compare each builder’s incentives and the PID cost side by side.
Answers were verified as of October 4, 2026, from the City of Mesquite, Dallas County, the Dallas and Kaufman Central Appraisal Districts, Mesquite ISD, the Texas Education Agency, Dallas County Elections, P3Works, STAR Transit, TxDOT, Dallas Regional Medical Center, Baylor Scott & White, Mesquite Economic Development, Redfin, Freddie Mac, FHFA and local reporting. Rates, fees, providers and hours change; verify anything you intend to rely on. Tax figures use 2026 rates: the city’s adopted $0.654018; Mesquite ISD’s $1.0862, or $1.1762 if Proposition A passes; Dallas County’s adopted $0.24865, or $0.22465 if its election fails; Parkland’s $0.212; and Dallas College’s $0.106575, reported adopted. Tax figures are illustrations, not quotes. Parkland and Dallas College exemptions are from a title company chart. Forney ISD service to Talia and Polo Ridge is from developer and builder materials. PID installment estimates are from council presentations. The transit shuttle schedule, Main Event’s opening and the hospital bed count weren’t confirmed. Drive times are estimates. This is general information, not legal, tax, lending, insurance, environmental or engineering advice. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Verified numbers and links for Mesquite. Three things to check on every address: which county it’s in, whether it’s in a PID and which school district serves it. Start with the green first-week cards; county offices are in blue, health care in red and anything outside Mesquite in purple.
Water, sewer and trash through Mesquite Utility Billing: a $100 minimum deposit, with ID and your settlement statement or deed. Weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
972-216-6208 757 N. Galloway Ave. Do this firstHomestead exemption, values and protests for Dallas County-side homes. File by April 30.
214-631-0520 2949 N. Stemmons Fwy., Dallas Do this firstFile here instead if the home is on the Kaufman County side, including Talia and Polo Ridge.
972-932-6081 3950 S. Houston St., Kaufman Do this firstCollects City and Mesquite ISD taxes for both county sides, plus vehicle registration; weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
214-653-7811 500 S. Galloway Ave., Ste. T101 Do this firstNew residents pay $75 for a 45-gallon cart. Trash is twice weekly on the Dallas County side and weekly on the Kaufman side.
972-216-6285 Appliance pickup line Do this firstFree CodeRED alerts by call, text or email for boil-water notices, weather and emergencies.
cityofmesquite.com Service requestsReport streets, code issues and more, and track requests; the call center answers 24/7.
972-288-7711 757 N. Galloway Ave. Bulky itemsWeekly at the front curb by 7:30 a.m., no more than 24 hours early, up to 8 cubic yards; never from the alley.
972-216-6285 PermitsPermits and inspections through the Citizen Self Service portal; homeowner permits require a homestead. Planning and zoning: 972-216-6216.
972-216-6212 1515 N. Galloway Ave. CodeProperty maintenance and code enforcement; you can also report issues through myMesquite.
972-329-8704 1515 N. Galloway Ave. ParksPrograms, pavilion rentals and athletics across 1,600-plus acres of parkland.
972-216-6260 1515 N. Galloway Ave. LibraryCards, programs and computers; the North Branch on Oates Drive is set to close, with services moving to Florence Recreation Center in 2027.
972-216-6220 300 W. Grubb Dr. PetsAdoptions, lost and found pets and animal control; closed Wednesdays and Sundays.
972-216-6283 1650 Gross Rd. ArtsConcert hall, gallery and theater; home of the Mesquite Symphony and Día de los Muertos.
972-216-8132 1527 N. Galloway Ave. CommunityBusiness directory and community events.
972-285-0211 111 S. Broad St. AirportThe city-owned general aviation airport with a control tower.
972-216-4130 1340 Airport Blvd. PoliceNon-emergency reports and records. Call 911 for emergencies.
972-216-6759 777 N. Galloway Ave. FireAn ISO Class 1 department; fire marshal, inspections and permits.
972-216-6267 1515 N. Galloway Ave. EmergenciesFor a water-line break after hours, call the service center; the city also lists its main line.
972-216-6278 Main line: 972-288-7711 ElectricOncor delivers power and handles outages; text OUT to 66267. Shop retail electric plans at PowerToChoose.org.
oncor.com GasNatural gas service. For a gas leak, leave the area and call 911 and Atmos.
atmosenergy.com InternetOptions vary by street; check the FCC broadband map and each provider.
broadbandmap.fcc.gov Before you digFree utility line locates before you dig for fences or pools.
811 PIDsDisclosures and assessment plans for Solterra, Polo Ridge, Iron Horse and Heartland Town Center.
cityofmesquite.com PIDsThe city’s PID administrator: installments, due dates and payoffs for each lot.
817-393-0353 North Richland Hills SchoolsEnrollment, attendance zones and Proposition A information for most Mesquite addresses.
972-288-6411 3819 Towne Crossing Blvd. SchoolsServes Talia and Polo Ridge on the Kaufman County side; confirm with its school finder.
forneyisd.net CollegeCareer programs and dual credit, in Mesquite since 1970.
972-860-7100 3737 Motley Dr. HospitalAn acute-care hospital with a 24-hour emergency department.
214-320-7000 1011 N. Galloway Ave. HospitalA 70-bed hospital with a 24-hour emergency room, just southwest of Mesquite.
972-892-3000 231 S. Collins Rd., Sunnyvale Urgent careWalk-in care at Heartland Town Center, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 365 days a year; $205 self-pay rate.
469-495-9170 2080 Heartland Pkwy., Ste. 330 ParklandDallas County’s public health system; the Southeast Dallas Health Center is on Elam Road, and new patients call 214-266-4000.
214-266-1600 9202 Elam Rd., Dallas Help linesPoison Control 1-800-222-1222; 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; 211 for Texas health and social services.
1-800-222-1222 TransitSTARNow on-demand rides in the Mesquite zone, including DART’s Lawnview Station; Mesquite isn’t a DART city.
877-631-5278 Before you buyCheck any parcel near Mesquite or South Mesquite Creek, and ask for an elevation certificate.
msc.fema.gov BuyingState down payment and mortgage credit certificate programs, with income and price limits.
tsahc.org tdhca.texas.govLinks, phone numbers and addresses verified October 2026 against the City of Mesquite (utility billing, solid waste, building inspection, parks, library, animal services, police, fire, airport and PID pages), the Dallas County Tax Office, the Dallas Central Appraisal District, the Mesquite Chamber, Dallas Regional Medical Center, Baylor Scott & White, Texas Health Resources and Parkland Health, and subject to change; if something has moved, tell me and I will correct it. Mesquite spans Dallas and Kaufman counties: appraisal districts, trash schedules and school districts differ by side, and since October 2024 Dallas County collects City and Mesquite ISD taxes for both. Confirm every taxing unit, any PID and the school district before you buy. Conflicts flagged: Neighborhood Services also lists 972-216-6276; the Arts Center also appears as 972-216-6444; and water emergencies are listed at both 972-216-6278 and 972-288-7711. The North Branch Library’s exact closing date wasn’t announced. The Kaufman CAD, Mesquite ISD, Forney ISD, Dallas College, STAR Transit, FEMA, TSAHC and Texas 811 contacts, Oncor and Atmos phone lines and internet providers weren’t re-verified this round, and Forney ISD service to Talia and Polo Ridge is from developer and builder materials. Other urgent care centers and freestanding ERs weren’t confirmed. Listings are provided for general reference and are not endorsements; I receive no compensation from any organization named. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Mesquite, a city of 150,108 at the 2020 census, sits on I-635, I-30 and I-20, mostly in Dallas County with a growing south side in Kaufman County. It pairs a large stock of established homes with new master-planned communities that carry PIDs. Two homes at the same price can come with very different tax bills, trash schedules and school districts. I sort out the details that matter here, and the awkward parts are named.
Most of Mesquite is in Dallas County, but the south side, including Talia and Polo Ridge, is in Kaufman County, with a different appraisal district, weekly instead of twice-weekly trash and often Forney ISD. Since 2024, Dallas County collects city and school taxes for both. I pull every taxing unit from the record.
The city cut its rate to $0.654018, about $144 less on a $285,000 home. But Mesquite ISD’s Proposition A would add about $130 a year, and Dallas County’s rate election about $55 after its homestead exemption. I run all three scenarios so you know the real payment.
Mesquite has four PIDs: Solterra, Polo Ridge, Iron Horse and Heartland Town Center. Ordinance 5008 requires a disclosure from builders and developers, and Solterra installments have averaged roughly $3,500 to $4,000 a year on 40-foot lots. I pull the current buyer disclosure and P3Works payoff.
Much of Mesquite was built after its postwar boom, so many resale homes are decades old. I check the permit history through the city’s Citizen Self Service portal and push for a thorough inspection of the foundation, plumbing, roof and electrical before the option period ends.
Solterra starts in the $300s, Talia townhomes near $240,000 and Polo Ridge near $400,000, each with its own builders, PID and school district. I put a resale home next to the builder’s real terms, including the PID, so you compare total cost, not sticker price.
Redfin’s August 2026 median was about $283,000, down 4 percent, with homes taking a median 56 days and selling near 97.8 percent of list. About 42 percent had price drops. I negotiate on price, repairs or closing costs, especially on homes that have sat.
Mesquite has real trade-offs: no DART rail, a $77.06 minimum city utility bill, the North Branch Library closing in 2027, a Main Event with no opening date and H-E-B land with no announced store. If any of that is a dealbreaker, you will hear it from me first.
Confirm the county and appraisal district for the address. Second, check for a PID and get the current-year buyer disclosure. Third, confirm the school district: Mesquite ISD or Forney ISD. Fourth, know the trash schedule and front-curb bulky rules. Fifth, price in the November 3 tax votes. And sixth, search the permit history through the city’s portal.
Mesquite-specific things to raise with all four. Freddie Mac’s 30-year average was 7.28 percent on October 1, 2026, and with prices softening, ask how a seller-paid buydown compares with a price cut. A typical Mesquite home falls well under the $563,500 FHA limit for Dallas County and the $832,750 conforming limit. Ask about TSAHC and TDHCA programs. Make sure any PID installment is in the payment estimate, and that the estimate reflects the November 3 tax votes. I recommend these lenders based on their expertise and service. I do not receive compensation for referrals.
Either is fine. I answer my own phone, and you will never be routed to a call center or handed to a junior agent. Send me an address and I will tell you which county it’s in, whether it carries a PID, which school district serves it, what the full tax bill looks like and what’s planned nearby.
Bobby Franklin, REALTOR® · Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team · 214-228-0003 · northtexasmarketinsider.com
Information on this page is provided for general reference and is not legal, tax, insurance, environmental, engineering or lending advice. Tax figures are illustrations for a $285,000 Dallas County-side homestead in Mesquite ISD, using the City of Mesquite’s adopted 2026 rate of $0.654018 (2025: $0.704692), Mesquite ISD’s Proposition A increase of 9 cents after the $140,000 school exemption, and the difference between Dallas County’s adopted $0.24865 and its $0.22465 voter-approval rate after a 20 percent homestead exemption. They are not quotes. PID details are from the City of Mesquite; the Solterra installment range is from council presentations, and installments change yearly. Forney ISD service to Talia and Polo Ridge is from developer and builder materials. The older-home inspection note is general guidance, not a finding about any property; whether specific repairs require permits should be confirmed with Building Inspection. New-home pricing is from builder and aggregator listings in 2026 and changes often. Market figures are Redfin’s for the three months ending August 2026. The FHA limit is from lender tables and should be confirmed with HUD; the conforming limit is FHFA’s 2026 limit. The mortgage rate is Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey for 1 October 2026. The utility minimum, library, Main Event and H-E-B details are from the City of Mesquite and local reporting as of October 2026. School district assignment is determined by address. All real estate services are provided through Legacy Realty Group. Equal Housing Opportunity.
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Serving DFW | Ellis County
16 Northgate Dr. Ste 100
Waxahachie, TX 75165
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