Mesquite is a municipality in Texas, situated in Dallas County and with parts reaching into Kaufman County.
In 2011, Mesquite adopted a regulation permitting the sale of beer and wine within the city limits. Despite being under consideration numerous times over the years, the proposal had consistently faced strong opposition, preventing its implementation. Mesquite was among the limited number of cities in eastern Dallas County that did not allow the sale of beer and wine until the law was enacted.
The city boasts a total area of 46.2 square miles, as reported by the United States Census Bureau. Of this, 46.0 square miles are land, and a mere 0.52 square kilometers, or 0.33%, is occupied by water. Mesquite is situated within the sprawling Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metroplex, which is home to nearly one-quarter of the entire Texas population.
Mesquite, situated within the DFW region, experiences a humid subtropical climate similar to that of the Southern Plains in the United States, classified as Cfa by the Köppen system. The climate in Mesquite is also continental, featuring a notable variation in temperatures throughout the year. Being positioned at the southern edge of Tornado Alley, Mesquite, along with the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area, frequently encounters severe weather conditions.
July typically experiences the highest temperatures, with the warmest month on average. Mesquite reached its highest recorded temperature of 112 °F (44 °C) in 1980, while January is usually the coldest month. The lowest recorded temperature in Mesquite was 1 °F (−17 °C) in 1989. May is known for being the month with the highest average precipitation.
The city had a population of 150,108 individuals, 46,586 households, and 34,641 families, as reported by the 2020 United States census.
The economy of Mesquite is largely linked to the city of Dallas, with a few notable exceptions. While several major corporations have a presence in the area, including United Parcel Service, Sears, AT&T, Spectrum, Ashley Furniture, FedEx, OfficeMax, and GameStop, the majority of businesses in Mesquite are locally owned and operated.
The Mesquite Public Library System received the 2016 Award from the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association. Among the 548 public library systems in Texas, the Mesquite Public Library was one of just 43 libraries to receive this notable accolade. The library system comprises two branches that provide a variety of both traditional and non-traditional programs to the community.
There are 76 parks and four recreation centers within the city’s limits.
The governing body of Mesquite is comprised of a mayor and six council persons.
The majority of Mesquite’s primary and secondary education needs are met by Mesquite Independent School District, which covers most areas of the city. However, a small portion of Mesquite falls under the jurisdiction of Dallas Independent School District, while a tiny area in Kaufman County is served by Forney Independent School District, although it does not have any residents. Additionally, Mesquite Independent School District also provides education to an area of Balch Springs.
Mesquite has a total of 33 public elementary schools and ten public middle schools. The city is also home to five high schools: Mesquite High School, North Mesquite High School, West Mesquite High School, Poteet High School, and John Horn High School. Additionally, there is a private school, Dallas Christian School, situated within the city boundaries.
Mesquite and Dallas have overlapping television and radio markets. The Mesquite Independent School District runs KEOM, a radio station that features high school sports and classic hits.
Mesquite is serviced by several major highways, including Interstate 20, which runs east-west through the south side of the city and connects to Balch Springs and Terrell. Interstate 30, another east-west route, passes through the north side of Mesquite and connects to Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, Garland, Lake Ray Hubbard, and Rockwall. Interstate 635, also known as the Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, serves as a partial loop around Dallas and its suburbs, passing through Mesquite and providing access to local businesses and attractions like Town East Mall and the Mesquite Championship Rodeo. U.S. Highway 80 is an east-west freeway that passes through north Mesquite, connecting to Sunnyvale, Forney, and Terrell to the east and merging onto I-30 to the west. Texas Highway 352, also known as Military Parkway/Scyene Road, runs east-west through west Mesquite and downtown Mesquite, where it’s known locally as Main Street or Davis Street depending on the direction of travel. Belt Line Road is another major road that passes through Mesquite and serves as an outer loop around the Dallas suburbs. There are also plans to expand President George Bush Turnpike to connect from its current terminus at I-30 in Garland to I-20, passing through Sunnyvale and Mesquite and completing the loop around Dallas County.