Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garland, TX
VS
Richardson, TX
🏆 Richardson leads 14 of 20 categories
Garland
Texas
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,044
Violent Crime Index
61
Population
244,026 ✓ Larger
Richardson
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,362 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
118,063
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garland, TX
Pros
Homes cost $151k less ($229,000 vs $379,800)
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $304/mo less ($1,421 vs $1,725)
Cons
Median income trails Richardson by $23,318/yr
Longer commutes — 29.7 min average each way
Richardson, TX
Pros
37% less violent crime than Garland
Households earn $23,318 more per year on average
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.7 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $379,800
Higher rents — median is $1,725/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Garland
Median Home Value
$151k less
$229,000 vs $379,800
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
Richardson
Median Income
$23,318
$94,362 vs $71,044/yr
Richardson
Violent Crime
37% lower
146.7 vs 232.7 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garland, TX | Richardson, 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 | $379,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,421⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,725⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,044 | $94,362 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.4% | 19.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 | 58 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | A+ (133) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.1% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.6% | 92.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GARLAND ISD | RICHARDSON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 94.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" | 40.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" ✓ Less | 1.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 244,026 ✓ Larger | 118,063 |
| Median Age | 34.4 | 34.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.0% ✓ Higher | 51.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% ✓ More | 21.0% |
| Over 65 | 12.4% | 12.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garland's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Richardson's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Richardson leads 14 of 20 categories. Garland wins 6 and Richardson wins 14. 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 Richardson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($229,000 vs $379,800 median home), income ($71,044 vs $94,362), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garland, TX and Richardson, TX are about 6 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.