Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX
VS
Richardson, TX
🏆 Plano leads 15 of 20 categories
Plano
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Richardson
Texas
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,362
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
118,063
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Plano, TX
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $11,317 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Richardson, TX
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.7 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $33k less ($379,800 vs $412,500)
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $11,317/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Plano
Median Income
$11,317
$105,679 vs $94,362/yr
Plano
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.0% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
Richardson
Median Home Value
$33k less
$379,800 vs $412,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Plano, TX | Richardson, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $412,500⚠ High | $379,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,699⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,725⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,679 ✓ Higher | $94,362 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.8 min | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.3% ✓ Higher | 19.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 58 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 87 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (134) ✓ Better | A+ (133) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.4% ✓ Higher | 55.5% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 92.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PLANO ISD | RICHARDSON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 94.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" | 40.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 1.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,948 ✓ Larger | 118,063 |
| Median Age | 38.9 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% ✓ Higher | 51.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% ✓ More | 21.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Richardson's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Plano leads 15 of 20 categories. Plano wins 15 and Richardson 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 Richardson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $379,800 median home), income ($105,679 vs $94,362), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and Richardson, TX are about 6 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.