Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McAllen, TX
VS
Spring Hill, FL
🏆 McAllen leads 12 of 20 categories
McAllen
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
Violent Crime Index
39
Population
142,722 ✓ Larger
Spring Hill
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,588 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
116,882
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $63k less ($158,700 vs $221,500)
Rent averages $268/mo less ($955 vs $1,223)
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Spring Hill
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (5.4%)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Spring Hill by $5,262/yr
Spring Hill, FL
Pros
Households earn $5,262 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 92°F vs 98°F
Cons
Cost of living runs 18% higher than McAllen
Higher unemployment (6.4% vs 5.4%)
Longer commutes — 29.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
McAllen
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Median Home Value
$63k less
$158,700 vs $221,500
McAllen
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.4% unemployment
McAllen
Summer Heat
5.8°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 91.7°F
Spring Hill
Median Income
$5,262
$61,588 vs $56,326/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McAllen, TX | Spring Hill, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,700 ✓ Lower | $221,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $955 ✓ Lower | $1,223 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,326 | $61,588 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter | 29.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.5% | 10.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 59 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% ✓ Higher | 19.2% |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCALLEN ISD | HERNANDO |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 71.4°F | 71.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer | 91.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 27.4" ✓ Drier | 56.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,722 ✓ Larger | 116,882 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 43.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.4% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.3% ✓ More | 20.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.1% | 22.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McAllen's cost of living index is 85.6 vs Spring Hill's 103.4 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, McAllen leads 12 of 20 categories. McAllen wins 12 and Spring Hill wins 8. 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 Spring Hill or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,700 vs $221,500 median home), income ($56,326 vs $61,588), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McAllen, TX and Spring Hill, FL are about 976 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.