Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carrollton, TX
VS
Phoenix, AZ
🏆 Carrollton leads 16 of 23 categories
Carrollton
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,380 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
132,284
Phoenix
Arizona
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,092
Violent Crime Index
210⚠ High
Population
1,609,456 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carrollton, TX
Pros
83% less violent crime than Phoenix
Households earn $23,288 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (137.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 42.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 94°F vs 104°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,555/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ
Pros
Rent averages $233/mo less ($1,322 vs $1,555)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 56°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Carrollton
Cons
Violent crime (799.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Carrollton by $23,288/yr
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 3.7%)
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Carrollton
Median Income
$23,288
$95,380 vs $72,092/yr
Carrollton
Violent Crime
83% lower
137.1 vs 799.6 per 100k
Carrollton
Median Home Value
$13k less
$327,300 vs $340,200
Carrollton
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.2% unemployment
Phoenix
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Phoenix
Summer Heat
9.7°F warmer
July avg high 104.0°F vs 94.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carrollton, TX | Phoenix, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $327,300⚠ High ✓ Lower | $340,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,555⚠ High | $1,322 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $95,380 ✓ Higher | $72,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter | 25.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.8% ✓ Higher | 14.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 47 ✓ Safer | 171⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 210⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (119) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.1% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.4% ✓ Higher | 83.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH ISD | Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 65.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 104.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.8" | 8.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 132,284 | 1,609,456 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 56.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.9% ✓ More | 11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carrollton's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Phoenix's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Phoenix is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carrollton leads 16 of 23 categories. Carrollton wins 16 and Phoenix 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 Carrollton to Phoenix or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($327,300 vs $340,200 median home), income ($95,380 vs $72,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carrollton, TX and Phoenix, AZ are about 878 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.