Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garland, TX
VS
Irving, TX
🏆 Irving leads 12 of 22 categories
Garland
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,044
Violent Crime Index
61 ✓ Safer
Population
244,026
Irving
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,686 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
254,962 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garland, TX
Pros
16% less violent crime than Irving
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $31k less ($229,000 vs $259,500)
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 4.1%)
Longer commutes — 29.7 min average each way
Median income trails Irving by $5,642/yr
Irving, TX
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.1%)
More college-educated — 40.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Households earn $5,642 more per year on average
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Garland
Violent Crime
16% lower
232.7 vs 275.4 per 100k
Garland
Median Home Value
$31k less
$229,000 vs $259,500
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
Irving
Median Income
$5,642
$76,686 vs $71,044/yr
Irving
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.1% vs 5.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garland, TX | Irving, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $229,000 ✓ Lower | $259,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,421⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,423⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,044 | $76,686 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.4% | 14.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 85 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 105⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.1% | 40.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.6% | 79.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GARLAND ISD | IRVING ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 56.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 95.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" | 37.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" ✓ Less | 1.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 244,026 | 254,962 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.4 ✓ Older | 32.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.0% ✓ Higher | 37.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | 26.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.4% ✓ More | 8.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garland's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Irving's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Irving leads 12 of 22 categories. Garland wins 10 and Irving wins 12. 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 Garland to Irving or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($229,000 vs $259,500 median home), income ($71,044 vs $76,686), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garland, TX and Irving, TX are about 20 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.