Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Frisco, TX
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 Frisco leads 16 of 23 categories
Frisco
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$144,567 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
202,075 ✓ Larger
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,257
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High
Population
105,797
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Frisco, TX
Pros
Households earn $97,310 more per year on average
82% less violent crime than Tuscaloosa
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (3.9%)
More college-educated — 65.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (100.9 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $531,400
Higher rents — median is $1,803/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Tuscaloosa
Longer commutes — 28.5 min average each way
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
Homes cost $303k less ($228,300 vs $531,400)
Rent averages $823/mo less ($980 vs $1,803)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Frisco
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Cons
Median income trails Frisco by $97,310/yr
Violent crime (553.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2731.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 3.9%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Frisco
Median Income
$97,310
$144,567 vs $47,257/yr
Frisco
Violent Crime
82% lower
100.9 vs 553.4 per 100k
Frisco
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
3.9% vs 6.8% unemployment
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Median Home Value
$303k less
$228,300 vs $531,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Frisco, TX | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $531,400⚠ High | $228,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,803⚠ High | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $144,567 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.5% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 35 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (130) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.9% ✓ Higher | 38.1% |
| High School or Higher | 96.5% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FRISCO ISD | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 56.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 92.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.1" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 202,075 ✓ Larger | 105,797 |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.2% ✓ Higher | 45.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 9.6% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Frisco's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Frisco leads 16 of 23 categories. Frisco wins 16 and Tuscaloosa wins 7. 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 Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($531,400 vs $228,300 median home), income ($144,567 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Frisco, TX and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 537 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.