Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McAllen, TX
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 14 of 23 categories
McAllen
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
Violent Crime Index
39
Population
142,722 ✓ Larger
Thousand Oaks
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $742k less ($158,700 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $1528/mo less ($955 vs $2,483)
28% cheaper overall cost of living than Thousand Oaks
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.6)
Cons
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $69,073/yr
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
Households earn $69,073 more per year on average
32% less violent crime than McAllen
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.8%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 78°F vs 98°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/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
Median Home Value
$742k less
$158,700 vs $900,600
McAllen
Summer Heat
19.5°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 78.0°F
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$69,073
$125,399 vs $56,326/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
32% lower
102.2 vs 150.0 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McAllen, TX | Thousand Oaks, 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 | $900,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $955 ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,326 | $125,399 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter | 25.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.5% | 18.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 59 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% | 49.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCALLEN ISD | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer | 68.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 27.4" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,722 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.4% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.3% ✓ More | 20.3% |
| Over 65 | 13.1% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McAllen's cost of living index is 85.6 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 28% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 14 of 23 categories. McAllen wins 9 and Thousand Oaks wins 14. 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 Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,700 vs $900,600 median home), income ($56,326 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McAllen, TX and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 1,346 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.