Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Allen, TX
VS
Garland, TX
🏆 Allen leads 15 of 22 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
Garland
Texas
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,044
Violent Crime Index
61
Population
244,026 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Allen, TX
Pros
Households earn $50,215 more per year on average
54% less violent crime than Garland
More college-educated — 55.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (106.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.3%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $390,200
Higher rents — median is $1,747/mo
Garland, TX
Pros
Homes cost $161k less ($229,000 vs $390,200)
Rent averages $326/mo less ($1,421 vs $1,747)
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Allen by $50,215/yr
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Allen
Median Income
$50,215
$121,259 vs $71,044/yr
Allen
Violent Crime
54% lower
106.4 vs 232.7 per 100k
Allen
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.2% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
Garland
Median Home Value
$161k less
$229,000 vs $390,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Allen, TX | Garland, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $390,200⚠ High | $229,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,747⚠ High | $1,421⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,259 ✓ Higher | $71,044 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min ✓ Shorter | 29.7 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.4% ✓ Higher | 9.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 75 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 28 ✓ Safer | 61 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 95 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.2% ✓ Higher | 24.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.8% ✓ Higher | 78.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALLEN ISD | GARLAND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.5°F | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer | 94.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8" ✓ Drier | 41.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,444 | 244,026 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 62.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% ✓ More | 25.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 12.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allen's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Garland's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Allen leads 15 of 22 categories. Allen wins 15 and Garland wins 7. 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 Garland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($390,200 vs $229,000 median home), income ($121,259 vs $71,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Allen, TX and Garland, TX are about 14 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.