Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McKinney, TX
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 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 ✓ Larger
Vacaville
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,764
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
101,631
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
McKinney, TX
Pros
60% less violent crime than Vacaville
Homes cost $160k less ($400,400 vs $560,400)
Rent averages $401/mo less ($1,740 vs $2,141)
Violent crime is well below the national average (117.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 52.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (3.7%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $560,400
Higher rents — median is $2,141/mo
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 3.7%)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than McKinney
Key Differences at a Glance
McKinney
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
McKinney
Median Income
$6,522
$113,286 vs $106,764/yr
McKinney
Violent Crime
60% lower
117.3 vs 293.2 per 100k
McKinney
Median Home Value
$160k less
$400,400 vs $560,400
McKinney
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
3.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 109.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $400,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $560,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,740⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,141⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,286 ✓ Higher | $106,764 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 28.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 83 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (130) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.2% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| High School or Higher | 94.8% ✓ Higher | 91.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCKINNEY ISD | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.4°F | 57.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.4" | 24.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,160 ✓ Larger | 101,631 |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.9% | 66.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.5% ✓ More | 22.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McKinney's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
McKinney is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McKinney leads 16 of 23 categories. McKinney wins 16 and Vacaville 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 Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($400,400 vs $560,400 median home), income ($113,286 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McKinney, TX and Vacaville, CA are about 1,457 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.