Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McKinney, TX
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 McKinney leads 15 of 23 categories
McKinney
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$113,286 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
196,160 ✓ Larger
Wilmington
North Carolina
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
McKinney, TX
Pros
Households earn $54,378 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Wilmington
Violent crime is well below the national average (117.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 52.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,740/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $400,400
Longer commutes — 28.3 min average each way
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Rent averages $527/mo less ($1,213 vs $1,740)
Homes cost $82k less ($318,600 vs $400,400)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
6% cheaper overall cost of living than McKinney
Cons
Median income trails McKinney by $54,378/yr
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.9% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
McKinney
Median Income
$54,378
$113,286 vs $58,908/yr
McKinney
Violent Crime
76% lower
117.3 vs 482.8 per 100k
McKinney
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
3.7% vs 4.9% unemployment
McKinney
Summer Heat
4.2°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 90.0°F
Wilmington
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Median Home Value
$82k less
$318,600 vs $400,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $400,400⚠ High | $318,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,740⚠ High | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,286 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 4.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.3 min⚠ High | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 14.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (130) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.2% ✓ Higher | 43.6% |
| High School or Higher | 94.8% ✓ Higher | 93.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCKINNEY ISD | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.4°F | 57.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.4" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,160 ✓ Larger | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.9% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.5% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 17.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McKinney's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, McKinney leads 15 of 23 categories. McKinney wins 15 and Wilmington wins 8. 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 Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($400,400 vs $318,600 median home), income ($113,286 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McKinney, TX and Wilmington, NC are about 1,080 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.