Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
McKinney, TX
🏆 McKinney leads 16 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
McKinney
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$113,286
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
196,160
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 94°F
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 56°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 12% higher than McKinney
McKinney, TX
Pros
Homes cost $576k less ($400,400 vs $976,800)
43% less violent crime than Huntington Beach
Rent averages $578/mo less ($1,740 vs $2,318)
Violent crime is well below the national average (117.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (3.7%)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$1,461
$114,747 vs $113,286/yr
McKinney
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
McKinney
Violent Crime
43% lower
117.3 vs 207.3 per 100k
McKinney
Median Home Value
$576k less
$400,400 vs $976,800
McKinney
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
McKinney
Summer Heat
15.3°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | McKinney, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $400,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,740⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $113,286 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 3.7% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 28.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% | 18.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | A+ (130) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 14.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% | 52.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% | 94.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | MCKINNEY ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 56.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 42.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 196,160 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 36.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% | 64.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 27.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 10.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs McKinney's 103.3 (US average = 100).
McKinney is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McKinney leads 16 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 7 and McKinney wins 16. 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 Huntington Beach to McKinney or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $400,400 median home), income ($114,747 vs $113,286), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and McKinney, TX are about 1,229 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.