Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chino, CA
VS
McAllen, TX
🏆 McAllen leads 16 of 23 categories
Chino
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,385 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
79
Population
91,008
McAllen
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
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.
Chino, CA
Pros
Households earn $43,059 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $599,200
Higher rents — median is $2,001/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than McAllen
Longer commutes — 34.2 min average each way
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $441k less ($158,700 vs $599,200)
Rent averages $1046/mo less ($955 vs $2,001)
50% less violent crime than Chino
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Chino
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Chino by $43,059/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Chino
Median Income
$43,059
$99,385 vs $56,326/yr
McAllen
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Violent Crime
50% lower
150.0 vs 299.5 per 100k
McAllen
Median Home Value
$441k less
$158,700 vs $599,200
McAllen
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 93.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chino, CA | McAllen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $599,200⚠ High | $158,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,001⚠ High | $955 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,385 ✓ Higher | $56,326 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 34.2 min⚠ High | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.1% ✓ Higher | 9.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 89 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 79 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 105⚠ High | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (88) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.4:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.1% | 31.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 83.4% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chino Valley Unified | MCALLEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.5°F | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.7°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.0" ✓ Drier | 27.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,008 | 142,722 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.9 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.7% ✓ Higher | 59.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.1% | 13.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chino's cost of living index is 107.9 vs McAllen's 85.6 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McAllen leads 16 of 23 categories. Chino wins 7 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 Chino to McAllen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($599,200 vs $158,700 median home), income ($99,385 vs $56,326), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chino, CA and McAllen, TX are about 1,275 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.