Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irving, TX
VS
Plano, TX
🏆 Plano leads 13 of 22 categories
Irving
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,686
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
254,962
Plano
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irving, TX
Pros
Homes cost $153k less ($259,500 vs $412,500)
Rent averages $276/mo less ($1,423 vs $1,699)
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $28,993/yr
Plano, TX
Pros
45% less violent crime than Irving
Households earn $28,993 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Irving
Median Home Value
$153k less
$259,500 vs $412,500
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
Plano
Median Income
$28,993
$105,679 vs $76,686/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
45% lower
151.6 vs 275.4 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irving, TX | Plano, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $259,500 ✓ Lower | $412,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,423⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,699⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,686 | $105,679 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter | 25.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% | 22.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 | 40 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 105⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) | A+ (134) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.5:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.5% | 58.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 79.7% | 93.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | IRVING ISD | PLANO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.5°F ✓ Warmer | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.6°F ✓ Warmer | 94.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.0" ✓ Drier | 40.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.6" ✓ Less | 2.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 254,962 | 284,948 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.4 | 38.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 37.2% | 56.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 26.4% ✓ More | 21.7% |
| Over 65 | 8.3% | 13.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irving's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Plano's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Plano leads 13 of 22 categories. Irving wins 9 and Plano wins 13. 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 Irving to Plano or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($259,500 vs $412,500 median home), income ($76,686 vs $105,679), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irving, TX and Plano, TX are about 19 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.