Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX
VS
Raleigh, NC
🏆 Plano leads 18 of 23 categories
Plano
Texas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948
Raleigh
North Carolina
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,631
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Plano, TX
Pros
69% less violent crime than Raleigh
Households earn $27,048 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Raleigh
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Rent averages $328/mo less ($1,371 vs $1,699)
Homes cost $66k less ($347,000 vs $412,500)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Plano
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $27,048/yr
Violent crime (488.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2819.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Plano
Median Income
$27,048
$105,679 vs $78,631/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
69% lower
151.6 vs 488.8 per 100k
Plano
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 90.6°F
Raleigh
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Raleigh
Median Home Value
$66k less
$347,000 vs $412,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Plano, TX | Raleigh, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $412,500⚠ High | $347,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,699⚠ High | $1,371⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,679 ✓ Higher | $78,631 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.8 min | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.3% ✓ Higher | 20.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 131⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 134⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (134) ✓ Better | A- (117) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.4% ✓ Higher | 52.7% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 92.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PLANO ISD | Wake County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer | 51.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" ✓ Drier | 49.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" ✓ Less | 4.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,948 | 465,517 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.9 ✓ Older | 34.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% ✓ Higher | 51.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% ✓ More | 20.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 11.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Raleigh's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Raleigh is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 18 of 23 categories. Plano wins 18 and Raleigh wins 5. 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 Plano to Raleigh or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $347,000 median home), income ($105,679 vs $78,631), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and Raleigh, NC are about 1,048 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.