Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McKinney, TX
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 McKinney leads 16 of 23 categories
McKinney
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$113,286 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
196,160
Tampa
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
McKinney, TX
Pros
Households earn $46,484 more per year on average
74% less violent crime than Tampa
Violent crime is well below the national average (117.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 52.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,740/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $400,400
Longer commutes — 28.3 min average each way
Tampa, FL
Pros
Rent averages $318/mo less ($1,422 vs $1,740)
Homes cost $67k less ($333,200 vs $400,400)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 56°F
Cons
Median income trails McKinney by $46,484/yr
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
McKinney
Median Income
$46,484
$113,286 vs $66,802/yr
McKinney
Violent Crime
74% lower
117.3 vs 444.6 per 100k
McKinney
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.2% unemployment
McKinney
Summer Heat
3.2°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 91.0°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
Tampa
Median Home Value
$67k less
$333,200 vs $400,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $400,400⚠ High | $333,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,740⚠ High | $1,422⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,286 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.3 min⚠ High | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 16.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 70 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (130) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.2% ✓ Higher | 43.3% |
| High School or Higher | 94.8% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCKINNEY ISD | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.4°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 91.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.4" ✓ Drier | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,160 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.9 ✓ Older | 35.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.9% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 27.5% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McKinney's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
McKinney is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McKinney leads 16 of 23 categories. McKinney wins 16 and Tampa wins 7. 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 Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($400,400 vs $333,200 median home), income ($113,286 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McKinney, TX and Tampa, FL are about 917 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.