Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Moreno Valley, CA
VS
Plano, TX
🏆 Plano leads 18 of 23 categories
Moreno Valley
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,637
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
209,578
Plano
Texas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Moreno Valley, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 56°F
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $23,042/yr
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 4.4%)
Higher rents — median is $1,858/mo
Longer commutes — 35.6 min average each way
Plano, TX
Pros
44% less violent crime than Moreno Valley
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $23,042 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Plano
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Plano
Median Income
$23,042
$105,679 vs $82,637/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
44% lower
151.6 vs 272.5 per 100k
Plano
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Moreno Valley, CA | Plano, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $421,400⚠ High | $412,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,858⚠ High | $1,699⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,637 | $105,679 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.6 min⚠ High | 25.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 5.9% | 22.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 | 40 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 79 | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | A+ (134) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.2:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.2% | 58.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 79.3% | 93.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Moreno Valley Unified | PLANO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.8°F ✓ Warmer | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.1°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.7" ✓ Drier | 40.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 209,578 | 284,948 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.8 | 38.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.0% ✓ Higher | 56.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.0% ✓ More | 21.7% |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 13.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Moreno Valley's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Plano's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Plano is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 18 of 23 categories. Moreno Valley wins 5 and Plano wins 18. 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 Moreno Valley to Plano or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($421,400 vs $412,500 median home), income ($82,637 vs $105,679), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Moreno Valley, CA and Plano, TX are about 1,178 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.