Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McKinney, TX
VS
Richardson, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
McKinney
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$113,286 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
196,160 ✓ Larger
Richardson
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,362
Violent Crime Index
39
Population
118,063
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
McKinney, TX
Pros
20% less violent crime than Richardson
Violent crime is well below the national average (117.3 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $18,924 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (3.7%)
Cons
Longer commutes — 28.3 min average each way
Pricier housing — median home is $400,400
Richardson, TX
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.7 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $21k less ($379,800 vs $400,400)
Cons
Median income trails McKinney by $18,924/yr
Higher unemployment (5.0% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
McKinney
Median Income
$18,924
$113,286 vs $94,362/yr
McKinney
Violent Crime
20% lower
117.3 vs 146.7 per 100k
McKinney
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.0% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
Richardson
Median Home Value
$21k less
$379,800 vs $400,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Richardson, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $400,400⚠ High | $379,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,740⚠ High | $1,725⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,286 ✓ Higher | $94,362 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.3 min⚠ High | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% | 19.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 58 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 39 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 87 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (130) | A+ (133) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.1:1 | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.2% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 94.8% ✓ Higher | 92.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCKINNEY ISD | RICHARDSON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.4°F ✓ Warmer | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.4" | 40.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 1.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,160 ✓ Larger | 118,063 |
| Median Age | 36.9 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.9% ✓ Higher | 51.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.5% ✓ More | 21.0% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 12.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McKinney's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Richardson's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. McKinney wins 11 and Richardson wins 11. 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 Richardson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($400,400 vs $379,800 median home), income ($113,286 vs $94,362), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McKinney, TX and Richardson, TX are about 16 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.