Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
McAllen, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Cape Coral
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
McAllen
Texas
10
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.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $16,148 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 92°F vs 98°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than McAllen
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $144k less ($158,700 vs $302,400)
Rent averages $675/mo less ($955 vs $1,630)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 31.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $16,148/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$16,148
$72,474 vs $56,326/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
McAllen
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Median Home Value
$144k less
$158,700 vs $302,400
McAllen
Summer Heat
5.9°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 91.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | McAllen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $158,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $955 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $56,326 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 9.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 59 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 39 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 87 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 31.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | MCALLEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 71.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 27.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 142,722 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 59.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs McAllen's 85.6 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Cape Coral wins 10 and McAllen wins 10. 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 Cape Coral to McAllen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $158,700 median home), income ($72,474 vs $56,326), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and McAllen, TX are about 1,005 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.