Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Frisco, TX
VS
Plano, TX
🏆 Frisco leads 10 of 19 categories
Frisco
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$144,567 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
202,075
Plano
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679
Violent Crime Index
40
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Frisco, TX
Pros
33% less violent crime than Plano
Households earn $38,888 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (100.9 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (3.9%)
More college-educated — 65.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $531,400
Higher rents — median is $1,803/mo
Plano, TX
Pros
Homes cost $119k less ($412,500 vs $531,400)
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $104/mo less ($1,699 vs $1,803)
Cons
Median income trails Frisco by $38,888/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Frisco
Median Income
$38,888
$144,567 vs $105,679/yr
Frisco
Violent Crime
33% lower
100.9 vs 151.6 per 100k
Frisco
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
3.9% vs 4.4% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
Plano
Median Home Value
$119k less
$412,500 vs $531,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Frisco, TX | Plano, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $531,400⚠ High | $412,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,803⚠ High | $1,699⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $144,567 ✓ Higher | $105,679 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 25.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.5% ✓ Higher | 22.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 35 ✓ Safer | 52 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 ✓ Safer | 40 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 70 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (130) | A+ (134) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.9% ✓ Higher | 58.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.5% ✓ Higher | 93.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FRISCO ISD | PLANO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 94.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.1" | 40.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 2.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 202,075 | 284,948 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.8 | 38.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.2% ✓ Higher | 56.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% ✓ More | 21.7% |
| Over 65 | 9.6% | 13.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Frisco's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Plano's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Frisco leads 10 of 19 categories. Frisco wins 10 and Plano wins 9. 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 Frisco to Plano or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($531,400 vs $412,500 median home), income ($144,567 vs $105,679), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Frisco, TX and Plano, TX are about 8 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.