Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Wayne, IN
VS
McAllen, TX
🏆 McAllen leads 13 of 23 categories
Fort Wayne
Indiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0
Median Household Income
$58,233 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
81
Population
264,514 ✓ Larger
McAllen
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
142,722
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Wayne, IN
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 98°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Cons
Cost of living runs 4% higher than McAllen
McAllen, TX
Pros
51% less violent crime than Fort Wayne
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 33°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.6)
More college-educated — 31.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Wayne
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Wayne
Median Income
$1,907
$58,233 vs $56,326/yr
McAllen
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 90.0 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Violent Crime
51% lower
150.0 vs 307.5 per 100k
McAllen
Summer Heat
13.4°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 84.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Wayne, IN | McAllen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.0 | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $152,500 ✓ Lower | $158,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $904 ✓ Lower | $955 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,233 ✓ Higher | $56,326 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter | 21.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.9% | 9.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 91 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.1% | 31.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fort Wayne Community Schools | MCALLEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.6°F | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.1°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.7" | 27.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.6" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 264,514 ✓ Larger | 142,722 |
| Median Age | 35.1 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.6% ✓ Higher | 59.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.7% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Wayne's cost of living index is 90.0 vs McAllen's 85.6 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McAllen leads 13 of 23 categories. Fort Wayne wins 10 and McAllen wins 13. 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 Fort Wayne to McAllen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($152,500 vs $158,700 median home), income ($58,233 vs $56,326), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Wayne, IN and McAllen, TX are about 1,271 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.