Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Allen, TX
VS
Baltimore, MD
🏆 Allen leads 17 of 23 categories
Allen
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,259 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
28 ✓ Safer
Population
105,444
Baltimore
Maryland
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,349
Violent Crime Index
423⚠ High
Population
584,548 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Allen, TX
Pros
Households earn $62,910 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than Baltimore
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (4.3%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (106.4 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 55.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $390,200
Higher rents — median is $1,747/mo
Baltimore, MD
Pros
Homes cost $187k less ($202,900 vs $390,200)
Rent averages $512/mo less ($1,235 vs $1,747)
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Allen by $62,910/yr
Violent crime (1606.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4157.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.9% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Allen
Median Income
$62,910
$121,259 vs $58,349/yr
Allen
Violent Crime
93% lower
106.4 vs 1606.2 per 100k
Allen
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.9% unemployment
Allen
Summer Heat
4.9°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 90.1°F
Baltimore
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 102.7 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Baltimore
Median Home Value
$187k less
$202,900 vs $390,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Allen, TX | Baltimore, MD |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 102.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $390,200⚠ High | $202,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,747⚠ High | $1,235 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,259 ✓ Higher | $58,349 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min ✓ Shorter | 30.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.4% ✓ Higher | 13.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 333⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 28 ✓ Safer | 423⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.2% ✓ Higher | 34.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.8% ✓ Higher | 87.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALLEN ISD | Baltimore City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.5°F ✓ Warmer | 43.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer | 90.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8" ✓ Drier | 43.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" ✓ Less | 19.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,444 | 584,548 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 36.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 47.8% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% ✓ More | 20.4% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 14.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allen's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Baltimore's 102.7 (US average = 100).
Baltimore is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Allen leads 17 of 23 categories. Allen wins 17 and Baltimore wins 6. 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 Baltimore or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($390,200 vs $202,900 median home), income ($121,259 vs $58,349), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Allen, TX and Baltimore, MD are about 1,194 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.