Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
McAllen, TX
🏆 McAllen leads 13 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
McAllen
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
Violent Crime Index
39
Population
142,722
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $93,225 more per year on average
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.0%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 98°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 27% higher than McAllen
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $981k less ($158,700 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1467/mo less ($955 vs $2,422)
27% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 47°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.6)
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $93,225/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$93,225
$149,551 vs $56,326/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
8% lower
138.6 vs 150.0 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.4% unemployment
McAllen
Cost of Living
27% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Median Home Value
$981k less
$158,700 vs $1,139,500
McAllen
Summer Heat
21.0°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | McAllen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $158,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $955 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $56,326 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 9.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 39 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 31.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | MCALLEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 27.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 142,722 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs McAllen's 85.6 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 27% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McAllen leads 13 of 23 categories. Bellevue 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 Bellevue to McAllen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $158,700 median home), income ($149,551 vs $56,326), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and McAllen, TX are about 1,965 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.