Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Allen, TX
VS
Portsmouth, VA
🏆 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 ✓ Larger
Portsmouth
Virginia
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Allen, TX
Pros
Households earn $64,105 more per year on average
86% less violent crime than Portsmouth
More college-educated — 55.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (4.3%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (106.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $390,200
Higher rents — median is $1,747/mo
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Portsmouth
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Homes cost $177k less ($213,300 vs $390,200)
Rent averages $522/mo less ($1,225 vs $1,747)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 95°F
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Allen
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Allen by $64,105/yr
Violent crime (752.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3860.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Allen
Median Income
$64,105
$121,259 vs $57,154/yr
Allen
Violent Crime
86% lower
106.4 vs 752.4 per 100k
Allen
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.6% unemployment
Allen
Summer Heat
7.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 88.0°F
Portsmouth
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$177k less
$213,300 vs $390,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Allen, TX | Portsmouth, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $390,200⚠ High | $213,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,747⚠ High | $1,225 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,259 ✓ Higher | $57,154 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.4% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 192⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 28 ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 184⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.2% ✓ Higher | 21.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.8% ✓ Higher | 89.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALLEN ISD | Portsmouth City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.5°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8" ✓ Drier | 50.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" ✓ Less | 3.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,444 ✓ Larger | 97,384 |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 56.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allen's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Portsmouth's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Portsmouth is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Allen leads 17 of 23 categories. Allen wins 17 and Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($390,200 vs $213,300 median home), income ($121,259 vs $57,154), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Allen, TX and Portsmouth, VA are about 1,176 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.