Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McAllen, TX
VS
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
🏆 McAllen leads 14 of 23 categories
McAllen
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
142,722 ✓ Larger
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$96,036 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
110,358
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $555k less ($158,700 vs $714,000)
Rent averages $987/mo less ($955 vs $1,942)
58% less violent crime than San Buenaventura (Ventura)
28% cheaper overall cost of living than San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails San Buenaventura (Ventura) by $39,710/yr
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
Pros
Households earn $39,710 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 98°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.9%)
More college-educated — 40.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $714,000
Higher rents — median is $1,942/mo
Cost of living runs 28% higher than McAllen
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
McAllen
Cost of Living
28% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Violent Crime
58% lower
150.0 vs 354.5 per 100k
McAllen
Median Home Value
$555k less
$158,700 vs $714,000
McAllen
Summer Heat
24.6°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 72.9°F
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Median Income
$39,710
$96,036 vs $56,326/yr
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.9% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McAllen, TX | San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,700 ✓ Lower | $714,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $955 ✓ Lower | $1,942⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,326 | $96,036 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter | 24.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.5% | 13.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 59 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% | 40.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% | 91.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCALLEN ISD | Ventura Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer | 65.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer | 72.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 27.4" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,722 ✓ Larger | 110,358 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 41.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.4% ✓ Higher | 56.5% |
| Under 18 | 28.3% ✓ More | 20.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.1% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McAllen's cost of living index is 85.6 vs San Buenaventura (Ventura)'s 113.5 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 28% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McAllen leads 14 of 23 categories. McAllen wins 14 and San Buenaventura (Ventura) wins 9. 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 McAllen to San Buenaventura (Ventura) or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,700 vs $714,000 median home), income ($56,326 vs $96,036), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McAllen, TX and San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA are about 1,368 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.