Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
McAllen, TX
🏆 McAllen leads 17 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906
McAllen
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
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.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $38k less ($121,100 vs $158,700)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 98°F
Cons
Violent crime (1206.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3678.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails McAllen by $6,473/yr
Cost of living runs 4% higher than McAllen
McAllen, TX
Pros
88% less violent crime than Evansville
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 42°F
Households earn $6,473 more per year on average
More college-educated — 31.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.6)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Median Home Value
$38k less
$121,100 vs $158,700
McAllen
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 89.8 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Median Income
$6,473
$56,326 vs $49,853/yr
McAllen
Violent Crime
88% lower
150.0 vs 1206.2 per 100k
McAllen
Summer Heat
8.5°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | McAllen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $158,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $955 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $56,326 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 21.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 9.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 31.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | MCALLEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 27.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 | 142,722 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs McAllen's 85.6 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McAllen leads 17 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 6 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 Evansville to McAllen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $158,700 median home), income ($49,853 vs $56,326), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and McAllen, TX are about 1,025 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.