Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McAllen, TX
VS
San Jose, CA
🏆 McAllen leads 12 of 22 categories
McAllen
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
142,722
San Jose
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,010 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
160⚠ High
Population
1,001,176 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $991k less ($158,700 vs $1,149,600)
Rent averages $1571/mo less ($955 vs $2,526)
75% less violent crime than San Jose
27% cheaper overall cost of living than San Jose
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails San Jose by $79,684/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.7%)
San Jose, CA
Pros
Households earn $79,684 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 46.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 98°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,149,600
Higher rents — median is $2,526/mo
Cost of living runs 27% higher than McAllen
Violent crime (606.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
McAllen
Cost of Living
27% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Violent Crime
75% lower
150.0 vs 606.8 per 100k
McAllen
Median Home Value
$991k less
$158,700 vs $1,149,600
McAllen
Summer Heat
15.3°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 82.2°F
San Jose
Median Income
$79,684
$136,010 vs $56,326/yr
San Jose
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McAllen, TX | San Jose, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper | 112.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,700 ✓ Lower | $1,149,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $955 ✓ Lower | $2,526⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,326 | $136,010 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter | 28.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.5% | 16.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 59 ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 160⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 ✓ Safer | 123⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% | 46.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% | 85.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCALLEN ISD | San Jose Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer | 59.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 27.4" | 18.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,722 | 1,001,176 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 37.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.4% ✓ Higher | 55.8% |
| Under 18 | 28.3% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.1% | 13.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McAllen's cost of living index is 85.6 vs San Jose's 112.9 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 27% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, McAllen leads 12 of 22 categories. McAllen wins 12 and San Jose wins 10. 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 Jose or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,700 vs $1,149,600 median home), income ($56,326 vs $136,010), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McAllen, TX and San Jose, CA are about 1,575 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.