Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palmdale, CA
VS
Plano, TX
🏆 Plano leads 15 of 23 categories
Palmdale
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,414
Violent Crime Index
145⚠ High
Population
166,895
Plano
Texas
15
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.
Palmdale, CA
Pros
Homes cost $15k less ($397,500 vs $412,500)
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $27,265/yr
Violent crime (551.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Plano
Plano, TX
Pros
72% less violent crime than Palmdale
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $27,265 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (4.4%)
Commutes run 15 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Key Differences at a Glance
Palmdale
Median Home Value
$15k less
$397,500 vs $412,500
Palmdale
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 97.6°F vs 94.3°F
Plano
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Plano
Median Income
$27,265
$105,679 vs $78,414/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
72% lower
151.6 vs 551.0 per 100k
Plano
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palmdale, CA | Plano, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $397,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $412,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,625⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,699⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,414 | $105,679 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.4%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 41.3 min⚠ High | 25.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.9% | 22.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 123⚠ High | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 145⚠ High | 40 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (59) | A+ (134) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.2:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.7% | 58.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.6% | 93.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Palmdale Elementary | PLANO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.5°F ✓ Warmer | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.6°F ✓ Warmer | 94.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 7.3" ✓ Drier | 40.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 166,895 | 284,948 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.0 | 38.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.5% ✓ Higher | 56.7% |
| Under 18 | 29.0% ✓ More | 21.7% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 13.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palmdale's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Plano's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Plano is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 15 of 23 categories. Palmdale wins 8 and Plano wins 15. 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 Palmdale to Plano or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($397,500 vs $412,500 median home), income ($78,414 vs $105,679), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palmdale, CA and Plano, TX are about 1,228 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.