Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jacksonville, FL
VS
McAllen, TX
🏆 McAllen leads 15 of 23 categories
Jacksonville
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2
Median Household Income
$64,138 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
McAllen
Texas
15
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.
Jacksonville, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.8%)
Households earn $7,812 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 92°F vs 98°F
Cons
Violent crime (623.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 14% higher than McAllen
Property crime (2494.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
McAllen, TX
Pros
76% less violent crime than Jacksonville
Homes cost $84k less ($158,700 vs $243,000)
Rent averages $326/mo less ($955 vs $1,281)
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Jacksonville
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Jacksonville by $7,812/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Jacksonville
Median Income
$7,812
$64,138 vs $56,326/yr
Jacksonville
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.4% unemployment
McAllen
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 99.2 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Violent Crime
76% lower
150.0 vs 623.8 per 100k
McAllen
Median Home Value
$84k less
$158,700 vs $243,000
McAllen
Summer Heat
5.7°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 91.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | McAllen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 99.2 | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $243,000 | $158,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,281 | $955 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,138 ✓ Higher | $56,326 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.4 min | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 9.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 146⚠ High | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 164⚠ High | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.0% | 31.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DUVAL | MCALLEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.5°F | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1" | 27.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 950,203 ✓ Larger | 142,722 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.0% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.4% ✓ More | 13.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jacksonville's cost of living index is 99.2 vs McAllen's 85.6 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McAllen leads 15 of 23 categories. Jacksonville wins 8 and McAllen wins 15. 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 Jacksonville to McAllen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,000 vs $158,700 median home), income ($64,138 vs $56,326), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jacksonville, FL and McAllen, TX are about 1,047 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.