Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Allen, TX
VS
Asheville, NC
🏆 Allen leads 15 of 23 categories
Allen
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,259 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
28 ✓ Safer
Population
105,444 ✓ Larger
Asheville
North Carolina
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,810
Violent Crime Index
210⚠ High
Population
93,695
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Allen, TX
Pros
Households earn $57,449 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than Asheville
Violent crime is well below the national average (106.4 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 55.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 48°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,747/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Asheville
Asheville, NC
Pros
Rent averages $497/mo less ($1,250 vs $1,747)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Allen
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 95°F
Cons
Median income trails Allen by $57,449/yr
Violent crime (796.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3895.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Allen
Median Income
$57,449
$121,259 vs $63,810/yr
Allen
Violent Crime
87% lower
106.4 vs 796.1 per 100k
Allen
Summer Heat
9.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 85.9°F
Asheville
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 96.1 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Asheville
Median Home Value
$13k less
$376,800 vs $390,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Allen, TX | Asheville, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 96.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $390,200⚠ High | $376,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,747⚠ High | $1,250 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,259 ✓ Higher | $63,810 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 17.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.4% ✓ Higher | 16.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 200⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 28 ✓ Safer | 210⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 185⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | A- (116) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.2% ✓ Higher | 51.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.8% ✓ Higher | 93.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALLEN ISD | Buncombe County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.5°F ✓ Warmer | 47.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer | 85.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8" ✓ Drier | 46.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" ✓ Less | 11.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,444 ✓ Larger | 93,695 |
| Median Age | 37.8 | 40.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 50.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% ✓ More | 16.7% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 19.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allen's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Asheville's 96.1 (US average = 100).
Asheville is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Allen leads 15 of 23 categories. Allen wins 15 and Asheville wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Allen to Asheville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($390,200 vs $376,800 median home), income ($121,259 vs $63,810), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Allen, TX and Asheville, NC are about 823 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.