Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Edinburg, TX
VS
McAllen, TX
🏆 McAllen leads 17 of 22 categories
Edinburg
Texas
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6
Median Household Income
$54,139
Violent Crime Index
71
Population
100,964
McAllen
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6
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.
Edinburg, TX
Pros
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.6)
Cons
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.4%)
McAllen, TX
Pros
44% less violent crime than Edinburg
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (5.4%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.6)
More college-educated — 31.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 85.6 on the COL index
McAllen
Median Income
$2,187
$56,326 vs $54,139/yr
McAllen
Violent Crime
44% lower
150.0 vs 269.6 per 100k
McAllen
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
5.4% vs 7.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Edinburg, TX | McAllen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.6 | 85.6 |
| Median Home Value | $159,600 | $158,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $920 ✓ Lower | $955 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,139 | $56,326 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.8 min ✓ Shorter | 21.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.3% | 9.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 87 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.7:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.4% | 31.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 79.8% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EDINBURG CISD | MCALLEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.2°F | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.7°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.0" ✓ Drier | 27.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,964 | 142,722 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 29.9 | 32.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.6% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.7% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.5% | 13.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Edinburg's cost of living index is 85.6 vs McAllen's 85.6 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, McAllen leads 17 of 22 categories. Edinburg wins 5 and McAllen wins 17. 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 Edinburg to McAllen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,600 vs $158,700 median home), income ($54,139 vs $56,326), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Edinburg, TX and McAllen, TX are about 8 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.