Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Athens-Clarke County, GA
VS
McAllen, TX
🏆 McAllen leads 16 of 22 categories
Athens-Clarke County
Georgia
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$47,798
Violent Crime Index
107⚠ High
Population
126,672
McAllen
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
142,722 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Athens-Clarke County, GA
Pros
More college-educated — 48.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cooler summers — July highs near 92°F vs 98°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails McAllen by $8,528/yr
Cost of living runs 8% higher than McAllen
McAllen, TX
Pros
63% less violent crime than Athens-Clarke County
Homes cost $84k less ($158,700 vs $242,300)
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $8,528 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 55°F
Rent averages $90/mo less ($955 vs $1,045)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
McAllen
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 93.3 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Median Income
$8,528
$56,326 vs $47,798/yr
McAllen
Violent Crime
63% lower
150.0 vs 406.1 per 100k
McAllen
Median Home Value
$84k less
$158,700 vs $242,300
McAllen
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 92.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Athens-Clarke County, GA | McAllen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $242,300 | $158,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,045 | $955 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $47,798 | $56,326 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.0 min ✓ Shorter | 21.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 10.8% ✓ Higher | 9.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 107⚠ High | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 107⚠ High | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.0% ✓ Higher | 31.8% |
| High School or Higher | 89.8% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clarke County | MCALLEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.7°F | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.0" | 27.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.6" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,672 | 142,722 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.7 | 32.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.5% | 13.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Athens-Clarke County's cost of living index is 93.3 vs McAllen's 85.6 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, McAllen leads 16 of 22 categories. Athens-Clarke County wins 6 and McAllen wins 16. 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 Athens-Clarke County to McAllen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($242,300 vs $158,700 median home), income ($47,798 vs $56,326), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Athens-Clarke County, GA and McAllen, TX are about 1,036 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.