Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Allen, TX
VS
Riverside, CA
🏆 Allen leads 16 of 23 categories
Allen
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$121,259 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
28 ✓ Safer
Population
105,444
Riverside
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,448
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
316,076 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Allen, TX
Pros
82% less violent crime than Riverside
Households earn $37,811 more per year on average
More college-educated — 55.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $95k less ($390,200 vs $485,500)
Violent crime is well below the national average (106.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.3%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Riverside, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 56°F
Cons
Median income trails Allen by $37,811/yr
Violent crime (589.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $485,500
Property crime (2832.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Allen
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Allen
Median Income
$37,811
$121,259 vs $83,448/yr
Allen
Violent Crime
82% lower
106.4 vs 589.7 per 100k
Allen
Median Home Value
$95k less
$390,200 vs $485,500
Allen
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Allen, TX | Riverside, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $390,200⚠ High ✓ Lower | $485,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,747⚠ High | $1,711⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,259 ✓ Higher | $83,448 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.4% ✓ Higher | 8.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 28 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.2% ✓ Higher | 24.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.8% ✓ Higher | 82.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALLEN ISD | Riverside Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.5°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.0°F | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8" | 10.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,444 | 316,076 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 32.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 55.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% ✓ More | 23.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 11.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allen's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Riverside's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Allen is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Allen leads 16 of 23 categories. Allen wins 16 and Riverside 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 Riverside or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($390,200 vs $485,500 median home), income ($121,259 vs $83,448), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Allen, TX and Riverside, CA are about 1,193 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.