Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Glendale, CA
VS
McAllen, TX
🏆 McAllen leads 14 of 23 categories
Glendale
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,219 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
76
Population
194,512 ✓ Larger
McAllen
Texas
14
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.
Glendale, CA
Pros
Households earn $24,893 more per year on average
More college-educated — 43.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 98°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $992,000
Higher rents — median is $2,002/mo
Cost of living runs 30% higher than McAllen
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $833k less ($158,700 vs $992,000)
Rent averages $1047/mo less ($955 vs $2,002)
48% less violent crime than Glendale
30% cheaper overall cost of living than Glendale
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (5.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Glendale by $24,893/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Glendale
Median Income
$24,893
$81,219 vs $56,326/yr
McAllen
Cost of Living
30% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Violent Crime
48% lower
150.0 vs 287.2 per 100k
McAllen
Median Home Value
$833k less
$158,700 vs $992,000
McAllen
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
5.4% vs 8.1% unemployment
McAllen
Summer Heat
11.7°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 85.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Glendale, CA | McAllen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $992,000⚠ High | $158,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,002⚠ High | $955 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $81,219 ✓ Higher | $56,326 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.6 min | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 9.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 76 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 97 | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.6:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.8% ✓ Higher | 31.8% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Glendale Unified | MCALLEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.0°F | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.8°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7" ✓ Drier | 27.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 194,512 ✓ Larger | 142,722 |
| Median Age | 41.1 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.2% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.4% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Glendale's cost of living index is 115.5 vs McAllen's 85.6 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 30% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McAllen leads 14 of 23 categories. Glendale wins 9 and McAllen 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 Glendale to McAllen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($992,000 vs $158,700 median home), income ($81,219 vs $56,326), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Glendale, CA and McAllen, TX are about 1,312 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.