Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McAllen, TX
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 McAllen leads 13 of 22 categories
McAllen
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
142,722 ✓ Larger
Vacaville
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,764 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
101,631
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $402k less ($158,700 vs $560,400)
Rent averages $1186/mo less ($955 vs $2,141)
49% less violent crime than Vacaville
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Vacaville
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Vacaville by $50,438/yr
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Households earn $50,438 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $560,400
Higher rents — median is $2,141/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than McAllen
Longer commutes — 28.9 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
McAllen
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Violent Crime
49% lower
150.0 vs 293.2 per 100k
McAllen
Median Home Value
$402k less
$158,700 vs $560,400
Vacaville
Median Income
$50,438
$106,764 vs $56,326/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McAllen, TX | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper | 109.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,700 ✓ Lower | $560,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $955 ✓ Lower | $2,141⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,326 | $106,764 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter | 28.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.5% | 9.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 59 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 | 83 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% | 91.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCALLEN ISD | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer | 57.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer | 95.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 27.4" | 24.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,722 ✓ Larger | 101,631 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.4% | 66.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.3% ✓ More | 22.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.1% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McAllen's cost of living index is 85.6 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, McAllen leads 13 of 22 categories. McAllen wins 13 and Vacaville 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 Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,700 vs $560,400 median home), income ($56,326 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McAllen, TX and Vacaville, CA are about 1,612 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.