Mansfield vs Midlothian, Texas: Which City Is Right for You in November 2026

by OnDemand Realty

Brick storefronts and the Farr Best Theater marquee in historic downtown Mansfield, Texas, under a blue summer sky

Photo: Downtown Mansfield, Texas by Renelibrary (Rene Gomez), via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped from the original.

If you are weighing Mansfield vs Midlothian, you are looking at two southern DFW suburbs about 10 miles apart along US-287, with similar price points and different personalities. Mansfield is the larger, more established city with a busy retail base and quick access to Arlington and Fort Worth. Midlothian is smaller, more spread out and growing faster, with a lower combined tax rate and an easier run up US-67 toward Dallas. As of November 2026, Redfin puts Mansfield's median sale price at $494,656 for the three months ending October 2026, while Redfin shows Midlothian at $476,273 for the three months ending September 2026, its most recent window.

This OnDemand Realty guide compares prices, 2026 property tax rates, school ratings, commutes, parks, safety and the new projects reshaping both cities, so you can decide which one fits your next move.

Key Takeaways

Prices are close, but trending differently. Mansfield's Redfin median sale price was $494,656, up 6.4% year over year (three months ending October 2026). Midlothian's was $476,273, down 2.8% (three months ending September 2026).
Midlothian has far more homes for sale. Realtor.com counted 1,111 active listings in Midlothian, up 11.5% from a year earlier, versus 429 in Mansfield, down 10.1% (October 2026). Realtor.com labels both buyer's markets.
Midlothian's tax rate is lower. Using 2026 adopted rates, a home in Midlothian pays about 1.94% in combined city, county and school taxes, versus about 2.25% on the Tarrant County side of Mansfield (calculated from the City of Midlothian, Midlothian ISD, Ellis County and Tarrant Appraisal District).
Both school districts earned a B. In the 2026 TEA ratings, Mansfield ISD scored a B (87) and every high school earned an A. Midlothian ISD scored a B (89), with no D or F campuses.
Midlothian is growing twice as fast. Census estimates show Midlothian grew 33.1% from 2020 to 2025, versus 16.3% for Mansfield (U.S. Census QuickFacts).
Big investment is landing in both. Google is building more data center capacity in Midlothian (DCD), while Mansfield has Klein Tools' new research and development headquarters (Fort Worth Report) and the planned $750 million Super Studios (Star-Telegram).

Mansfield vs Midlothian at a Glance

Measure	Mansfield	Midlothian
Population (July 2025 estimate)	84,444	46,683
Growth, 2020 to 2025	16.3%	33.1%
Land area	36.62 sq mi	63.50 sq mi
People per square mile (2020)	1,982.5	553.1
Redfin median sale price	$494,656 (3 mo. ending Oct 2026)	$476,273 (3 mo. ending Sep 2026)
Realtor.com median listing price (Oct 2026)	$528,450	$550,000
Realtor.com active listings (Oct 2026)	429	1,111
Realtor.com median days on market (Oct 2026)	56	78
Combined 2026 tax rate, city + county + ISD (calculated)	about 2.25% (Tarrant side)	about 1.94%
School district, 2026 TEA rating	Mansfield ISD, B (87)	Midlothian ISD, B (89)
Median household income	$121,126	$126,641
Owner-occupied housing	71.5%	79.7%
Mean commute to work	28.6 minutes	31.7 minutes
County	Mostly Tarrant; also Johnson and Ellis	Ellis

Sources: U.S. Census QuickFacts, Redfin Mansfield, Redfin Midlothian, Realtor.com Mansfield, Realtor.com Midlothian, TEA, plus the city, county and ISD tax pages cited below.

Data note: Redfin had published its October 2026 window for Mansfield but still showed the three months ending September 2026 for Midlothian when we checked on November 10, 2026. We label each window so you can compare fairly. Census income, housing and commute figures are American Community Survey estimates reported in QuickFacts.

What Each City Costs in November 2026

Mansfield home prices

For the three months ending October 2026, Redfin reports a median sale price of $494,656 in Mansfield, up 6.4% from a year earlier. Homes sold in a median of 56 days, faster than the 67 days a year earlier, but slower than a hot market. Redfin counted 234 homes sold in October, down 26.6% from 318 a year earlier. Redfin's summary panel also lists about $184 per square foot, a 98.3% sale-to-list ratio, 14.9% of homes selling above list and 42.4% with price drops. Those panel figures may not yet reflect the October update, so treat them as approximate.

Realtor.com's October 2026 snapshot shows a median listing price of $528,450 (down 1.21% from a year earlier), a median sold price of $515,499, $187 per square foot, 429 active listings and 56 median days on market. Homes sold for about 99% of asking. Realtor.com also lists a median rent of $1,799.

By home type, Redfin's Living in Mansfield page (updated October 31, 2026) shows typical sale prices around $497,716 for single-family homes, $349,978 for townhouses and $464,874 for condos. Townhomes are the clearest entry point into the city.

Midlothian home prices

For the three months ending September 2026, Redfin reports a median sale price of $476,273 in Midlothian, down 2.8% year over year. Median days on market dropped to 69 from 93 a year earlier. Redfin counted 218 homes sold in September, down 7.1% from 235. Homes averaged $179 per square foot (down 5.8%), with a 98.1% sale-to-list ratio. Only 13.0% sold above list, and 43.2% had a price drop.

Realtor.com's October 2026 snapshot shows a median listing price of $550,000 (up 0.51%), a median sold price of $447,086, $209 per square foot, 1,111 active listings (up 11.5%) and 78 median days on market. Homes sold about 1.41% below asking. Median rent was $2,081.

What the numbers mean for buyers

Both cities are firmly in buyer-friendly territory. For comparison, Redfin's national median days on market was 50 in October 2026. Midlothian's much larger inventory means more choice and more room to negotiate, especially with builders. Mansfield has tighter supply and rising prices, so well-priced homes in popular areas can still move quickly.

The gap between Midlothian's high listing price ($550,000) and its lower sold price ($447,086) suggests that many higher-priced new and acreage listings are sitting, while the homes that actually close are more modest. This is an inference from Realtor.com's figures. Ask your agent to pull recent closed sales for the specific neighborhood you want.

Census figures give another view of long-run costs. The median value of owner-occupied homes is $410,700 in Mansfield and $411,800 in Midlothian. Median monthly owner costs with a mortgage are $2,688 and $2,558, and median gross rent is $1,954 and $2,013 (QuickFacts).

Property Taxes: Mansfield vs Midlothian in 2026

Texas has no state income tax, so property taxes do much of the work. Here are the 2026 adopted rates (tax year 2026, billed this fall) per $100 of taxable value.

Taxing unit	2026 rate	Applies to
City of Mansfield	0.639000	Mansfield
Mansfield ISD	1.146900	Most Mansfield addresses
Tarrant County	0.186000	Tarrant County portion of Mansfield
Tarrant County Hospital District	0.159000	Tarrant County portion
Tarrant County College	0.120000	Tarrant County portion
Johnson County	0.417000	Johnson County portion of Mansfield
City of Midlothian	0.640000	Midlothian
Midlothian ISD	1.026900	Midlothian
Ellis County (including road and bridge)	0.273500	Midlothian and the Ellis County portion of Mansfield

Sources: City of Mansfield, October 21, 2026, Mansfield ISD tax information, Tarrant Appraisal District 2026 rates, Johnson County Commissioners Court, City of Midlothian, Midlothian ISD, Ellis County FY2027 budget and Ellis County Commissioners Court.

Combined city, county and school rates (calculated):

Mansfield, Tarrant County side: about 2.2509 per $100 (city, MISD, county, hospital and college).
Mansfield, Ellis County side: about 2.0594 per $100.
Mansfield, Johnson County side: about 2.2029 per $100 for city, county and MISD. Other units may apply.
Midlothian: about 1.9404 per $100.

A few changes stand out this year. Mansfield held its city rate at 0.639 and raised its homestead exemption to the 20% maximum, according to the city's announcement. Midlothian cut its city rate from 0.65 to 0.64 (City of Midlothian). Midlothian ISD lowered its rate by 4.39 cents, from 1.0708 to 1.0269 (Midlothian ISD). Mansfield ISD kept its rate at 1.1469.

Homestead exemptions

Every Texas school district gives homeowners a $140,000 homestead exemption. Local exemptions on top of that differ:

Mansfield (Tarrant side): City of Mansfield, Tarrant County and the Hospital District each give 20%, and Tarrant County College gives 1%, per TAD's 2026 rate table. Mansfield ISD has no local percentage exemption listed.
Midlothian: The City of Midlothian gives 20%, Midlothian ISD gives a 10% local exemption on top of the state $140,000, and Ellis County gives 1% ($5,000 minimum), according to the Ellis County Tax Office's 2025 exemption schedule. We could not confirm the 2026 schedule, so verify before you rely on it.

You can estimate your own savings with our Dallas-Fort Worth homestead exemption calculator.

PIDs, ESDs and other special districts

Some neighborhoods pay more than the base rate.

Mansfield: The city has public improvement districts, including South Pointe (about 873 acres) and Staybolt (about 134 acres). Owners in a PID pay an annual assessment set in the district's service and assessment plan.
Midlothian: Midlothian has PIDs too, including the Midtown District and Redden Farms PIDs. The Ellis County Tax Office 2025 rate sheet lists the Midtown District PID residential assessment at 0.12 per $100. Ellis County ESD #2, listed for the Midlothian area, set a rate of 0.100 for 2026, per the Waxahachie Sun's Ellis County rate list. Confirm whether it applies to a specific address.

Always check the tax certificate or appraisal district record for any home you are considering.

Example tax bills (calculated)

These examples use each city's Redfin median sale price and the 2026 base rates above. They exclude PIDs, ESDs, over-65 and disabled exemptions, and any appraisal caps.

Scenario	Mansfield (Tarrant side), $494,656	Midlothian, $476,273
No homestead exemption	about $11,134 per year	about $9,242 per year
State $140,000 school exemption only	about $9,529 per year ($794/month)	about $7,804 per year ($650/month)
School exemption plus local exemptions	about $8,549 per year ($712/month)	about $6,692 per year ($558/month)

Calculated by OnDemand Realty from the 2026 adopted rates and the exemptions listed above. Midlothian's local exemptions are based on the 2025 Ellis County schedule. Your actual bill will depend on the appraised value and exemptions on record.

At the same $450,000 price with full homestead exemptions, the gap is about $7,632 a year in Mansfield versus $6,242 in Midlothian (calculated). That is roughly $1,390 a year, or $116 a month, before any special districts.

Schools: Mansfield ISD vs Midlothian ISD

The Texas Education Agency released its 2026 A-F accountability ratings on August 14, 2026.

	Mansfield ISD	Midlothian ISD
2026 district rating	B (87), unchanged	B (89), up 7 points in three years
Campus picture	Every high school rated A; all middle schools A or B; no F campuses	6 A, 3 B, 4 C campuses; no D or F
Notable campuses	Legacy High School, Alma Martinez Intermediate and Thelma Jones Elementary moved from B to A; Glenn Harmon Elementary rose from D to B	A ratings at Midlothian High, Midlothian Heritage High, Dieterich and Walnut Grove middle schools, and Jean Coleman and Dolores W. McClatchey elementaries
Other highlights	Covers more than 94 square miles, serving Mansfield and parts of nearby cities	98% college, career and military readiness (Class of 2025); 98.2% graduation rate

Sources: Mansfield ISD, Fort Worth Report, Midlothian ISD.

The Fort Worth Report counted 20 A, 18 B, 6 C and 3 D campuses in Mansfield ISD. Mansfield ISD is much larger and offers more campus choices, while Midlothian ISD has climbed steadily and has two A-rated high schools.

District lines do not match city limits in either city. Mansfield ISD reaches into neighboring cities, and Midlothian ISD extends beyond Midlothian's limits. Confirm the school assignment for any address with the district before you make an offer.

Commute: Mansfield vs Midlothian

The two cities sit on opposite sides of the Tarrant-Ellis line, and that shapes where each one commutes best.

Mansfield connects north to Arlington and Grand Prairie on the 360 Tollway, a 9.7-mile NTTA road opened in 2018 between Camp Wisdom Road/Sublett Road and US-287. US-287 runs northwest to I-20 and Fort Worth.
Midlothian sits where US-287 and US-67 meet. US-67 runs northeast through Cedar Hill toward I-20 and Dallas, and US-287 runs southeast to Waxahachie and I-35E and northwest to Mansfield.

Typical drive distances (calculated)

From city hall to	Mansfield	Midlothian
Fort Worth City Hall	21.2 mi, about 29 min	30.7 mi, about 39 min
Dallas City Hall	31.8 mi, about 42 min	24.8 mi, about 30 min
Globe Life Field (Arlington)	16.5 mi, about 25 min	23.4 mi, about 31 min
DFW International Airport	27.2 mi, about 41 min	34.2 mi, about 47 min
Dallas Love Field	35.9 mi, about 49 min	30.1 mi, about 39 min

Calculated by OnDemand Realty using OpenStreetMap routing without traffic. Rush-hour times will be longer. Mansfield to Midlothian is about 10.5 miles, or 14 minutes.

Census data puts the mean commute at 28.6 minutes in Mansfield and 31.7 minutes in Midlothian (QuickFacts).

Road projects to watch

TxDOT's October 2026 Ellis County construction report lists several projects around Midlothian:

US-67 at Lake Ridge Parkway: a $63.7 million new interchange, started September 2026 and scheduled through November 2028 (1% complete).
US-67 pavement repair: $5.4 million, from the Dallas County line, October 2026 to April 2027.
US-287 north of Walnut Grove Road: $10.7 million, 96% complete, scheduled to finish December 2026.
US-287 from Business 287 to Dartmoor Drive: $17.3 million, 60% complete, scheduled through March 2027.

TxDOT's Unified Transportation Program listing for Ellis County also shows unfunded future US-287 projects. These include frontage roads and interchanges between US-67 and Business 287 ($78 million) and an interchange at Cooke Road ($75 million). NTTA is studying a roughly 5.5-mile 360 Tollway extension from US-287 to US-67, which would link Mansfield and Midlothian more directly. It held a public meeting at Mansfield High School on April 16, 2026, but the project is still in planning.

Parks, Recreation and Lifestyle

Mansfield

Mansfield has more than 1,200 acres of parkland, according to Mansfield Parks and Recreation. A half-cent sales tax has funded parks since 1992. Highlights include:

the Mansfield Activities Center;
the 80-acre Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park;
the Walnut Creek Linear Trail, which connects seven parks;
Hawaiian Falls Mansfield, a waterpark at 490 Heritage Parkway South next to Big League Dreams.

Historic Downtown Mansfield, dating to the 1800s, has restored storefronts, restaurants and the Farr Best Theater shown above.

Mansfield also has a strong shopping base. Census data shows retail sales of $18,642 per person, versus $14,019 in Midlothian (QuickFacts). The city's FY2027 budget includes about $149 million in capital improvements, including more than $21 million for parks (City of Mansfield).

Midlothian

Midlothian lists 15 city parks. The centerpiece is the 105-acre Midlothian Community Park, which has:

13 soccer fields and five baseball fields;
a 4,500-square-foot splash pad and an inclusive playground;
an amphitheater and a fishing pond.

Other favorites include Mockingbird Nature Park (about 60 acres), the 21.7-acre Hawkins Spring Park and Skate Park, and downtown's Kimmel Park and Heritage Plaza. With 553 people per square mile versus Mansfield's 1,982, Midlothian feels more open, and larger lots and acreage are easier to find (QuickFacts).

Health care

Both cities have a Methodist hospital. Methodist Mansfield Medical Center is one of Mansfield's largest employers (Mansfield EDC), and a Methodist hospital also appears on the Midlothian EDC's list of largest employers.

Jobs, Growth and New Development

Midlothian: Google, steel and a growing industrial base

Google first built in Midlothian in 2019. DCD reports that a fifth building, worth about $880 million and 288,000 square feet at 3441 Railport Parkway, is under construction through February 2027. It is part of Google's $40 billion Texas commitment announced in November 2025.

On October 13, 2026, the Midlothian City Council voted 6-0 to approve zoning for phases 5 and 6. Each building is roughly 285,000 square feet, with an on-site natural gas power plant, a 20-foot sound wall and closed-loop cooling. Council discussion noted that Google was required to keep 40 jobs and has 88.

The Midlothian EDC lists Gerdau and Target, each with 1,000 to 1,250 employees, as the city's largest employers. Others include Methodist Hospital, Sunrider, SunOpta, HomeZone, Quikrete, Ash Grove and QuikTrip Distribution. A TSTC campus is planned at US-67 and US-287, and Navarro College already has a campus in town.

Growth has strained Midlothian's roads. On November 3, 2026, voters rejected all five city bond propositions, including $102.3 million for streets, according to unofficial results. Buyers should expect some roads to remain congested while the city looks for other funding.

Mansfield: manufacturing, studios and steady growth

The Mansfield EDC lists these major employers:

Mouser Electronics (2,067 employees)
Methodist Mansfield Medical Center (1,428)
Klein Tools (733)
Hoffman Cabinets (502)
BCB Transport (435)

Klein Tools is building a global research and development headquarters in Mansfield, investing at least $100 million and adding 400 jobs (Fort Worth Report).

The biggest new project is Super Studios. The Star-Telegram reports a planned $750 million film and TV campus with four 18,000-square-foot sound stages. State filings show construction through June 2027, and the company projects more than 2,600 permanent jobs.

Safety

The two police departments report crime differently, so we do not compare rates side by side.

Mansfield: The Mansfield Police Department's 2025 crime statistics show 1,256 reported offenses in its listed categories in 2025, down from 1,319 in 2024. Larceny made up 720 of them. The city recorded 1 murder, 13 robberies and 58 aggravated assaults.
Midlothian: The Midlothian Police Department's 2025 annual report says the overall crime rate decreased in 2025 and fatality crashes fell by nearly 50%.

For a specific neighborhood, check each department's crime map or call its non-emergency line.

Pros and Cons

Mansfield

Pros

Larger city with more shopping, dining and established neighborhoods
Faster access to Arlington, Fort Worth and DFW Airport
Every Mansfield ISD high school rated A in 2026
Prices are rising, which supports resale value
More than 1,200 acres of parks and a walkable historic downtown

Cons

Higher combined tax rate, especially on the Tarrant County side
Tighter inventory means less choice
Three counties and multiple PIDs make tax research more complicated
Denser, with fewer acreage options

Midlothian

Pros

Lower combined tax rate and a 10% local school homestead exemption
About 1,111 listings, so buyers have choice and leverage
Faster drive to downtown Dallas and Love Field
Fast growth, a steadily improving school district and two A-rated high schools
More open space and larger lots

Cons

Prices softened in the latest Redfin window
Road funding is uncertain after the November 2026 bond failures
Ongoing US-67 and US-287 construction
Less retail and a longer drive to Fort Worth and DFW Airport
Heavy industry and data centers may not suit every buyer

Which City Is Right for You?

If you are...	Consider	Why
Commuting to Fort Worth, Arlington or DFW Airport	Mansfield	About 25 minutes to Globe Life Field and 29 to Fort Worth City Hall without traffic
Commuting to downtown Dallas or Love Field	Midlothian	About 30 minutes to Dallas City Hall via US-67 without traffic
Focused on a lower tax bill	Midlothian	Combined rate about 1.94% vs about 2.25% in Tarrant County Mansfield
Looking for the most school choices	Mansfield	A large district where every high school rated A
Wanting space, acreage or a small-town feel	Midlothian	553 people per square mile and 63.5 square miles of land
Buying a first home or a townhome	Mansfield	Redfin townhouse prices around $350,000
Wanting the most negotiating leverage	Midlothian	Largest inventory and 78 median days on market

Choose Mansfield if you want an established suburb with abundant shopping, strong high schools and a shorter drive west and north.

Choose Midlothian if you want more space, more homes to choose from, a lower tax rate and a quicker run toward Dallas, and you are comfortable with a growing city's construction.

Your Step-by-Step Buying Plan for Mansfield or Midlothian

Get pre-approved and set a budget using each city's real tax rate, not a generic estimate.
Map your commute at rush hour from the specific neighborhoods you like.
Check the school assignment with Mansfield ISD or Midlothian ISD for each address.
Confirm the county and tax units. In Mansfield, check whether the home is in Tarrant, Johnson or Ellis County. In both cities, check for a PID or ESD.
Compare resale and new construction. Midlothian's high inventory gives you room to ask builders for incentives, such as a seller-paid 2/1 buydown.
Use the buyer's market. Look at days on market and price history to set your offer, and ask for closing-cost help or repairs.
Review planned roads and development near the home, including US-67, US-287, the 360 Tollway study and industrial sites.
File your homestead exemption after you close and move in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mansfield or Midlothian cheaper?

Prices are close. Redfin's median sale price was $494,656 in Mansfield (three months ending October 2026) and $476,273 in Midlothian (three months ending September 2026). Midlothian's lower tax rate makes the yearly cost of owning lower.

Which city has lower property taxes?

Midlothian. Its 2026 city, county and school rate is about 1.94 per $100, versus about 2.25 on the Tarrant County side of Mansfield (calculated). On a $450,000 home with homestead exemptions, that is about $1,390 a year less in Midlothian, before special districts.

Are Mansfield ISD and Midlothian ISD good school districts?

Both earned a B in the 2026 TEA ratings: Mansfield ISD scored 87 and Midlothian ISD scored 89. Every Mansfield ISD high school earned an A, and Midlothian ISD had no D or F campuses.

How far is Midlothian from Mansfield?

About 10.5 miles, or 14 minutes without traffic, mainly via US-287 (calculated).

Is Google building a data center in Midlothian?

Yes. Google has operated in Midlothian since 2019. A fifth building is under construction through February 2027, and the City Council approved zoning for phases 5 and 6 on October 13, 2026.

Is it a buyer's market in Mansfield and Midlothian?

Realtor.com classified both as buyer's markets in October 2026. Homes took a median of 56 days to sell in Mansfield and 78 in Midlothian.

Ready to Find Your Home in Mansfield or Midlothian?

Whether you want Mansfield's established neighborhoods or Midlothian's space and lower tax rate, OnDemand Realty can help. We can compare neighborhoods, check tax units and school lines, and help you negotiate in today's buyer-friendly market. Start your search at www.ondemanddfw.com.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Market figures come from third-party sources (Redfin, Realtor.com, U.S. Census Bureau, TxDOT, TEA and local governments) and may change or be revised. Tax examples are estimates calculated by OnDemand Realty from 2026 adopted rates and do not include every exemption or special district. Drive times are estimates without traffic. School boundaries, tax rates and development plans change. Verify all details for a specific property with the appropriate district, appraisal district or city before you buy.