Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
McAllen, TX
🏆 McAllen leads 13 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
McAllen
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
142,722
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $81,061 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 98°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than McAllen
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $675k less ($158,700 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1272/mo less ($955 vs $2,227)
41% less violent crime than Arlington
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 45°F
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $81,061/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$81,061
$137,387 vs $56,326/yr
Arlington
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
2.8% vs 5.4% unemployment
McAllen
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Violent Crime
41% lower
150.0 vs 254.4 per 100k
McAllen
Median Home Value
$675k less
$158,700 vs $833,300
McAllen
Summer Heat
7.9°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | McAllen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $158,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $955 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $56,326 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 9.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 87 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 31.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | MCALLEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 27.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 142,722 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs McAllen's 85.6 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McAllen leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 10 and McAllen wins 13. 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 Arlington to McAllen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $158,700 median home), income ($137,387 vs $56,326), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and McAllen, TX are about 1,504 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.