Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McKinney, TX
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 McKinney leads 14 of 23 categories
McKinney
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$113,286 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
196,160 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
121,513
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
McKinney, TX
Pros
Households earn $50,748 more per year on average
66% less violent crime than Palm Bay
More college-educated — 52.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (117.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (3.7%)
Smaller class sizes — 14.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $400,400
Higher rents — median is $1,740/mo
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Palm Bay
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $174k less ($226,200 vs $400,400)
Rent averages $395/mo less ($1,345 vs $1,740)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 56°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than McKinney
Cons
Median income trails McKinney by $50,748/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
McKinney
Median Income
$50,748
$113,286 vs $62,538/yr
McKinney
Violent Crime
66% lower
117.3 vs 347.2 per 100k
McKinney
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.7% unemployment
Palm Bay
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 100.8 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$174k less
$226,200 vs $400,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $400,400⚠ High | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,740⚠ High | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,286 ✓ Higher | $62,538 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.3 min⚠ High | 27.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 74 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 48 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (130) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.2% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 94.8% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCKINNEY ISD | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.4°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 91.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.4" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,160 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.9% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.5% ✓ More | 21.9% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McKinney's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Palm Bay is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McKinney leads 14 of 23 categories. McKinney wins 14 and Palm Bay 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 McKinney to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($400,400 vs $226,200 median home), income ($113,286 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McKinney, TX and Palm Bay, FL are about 1,017 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.