Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX
VS
Richmond, VA
🏆 Plano leads 17 of 23 categories
Plano
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Richmond
Virginia
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,606
Violent Crime Index
89
Population
227,171
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Plano, TX
Pros
Households earn $46,073 more per year on average
55% less violent crime than Richmond
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 48°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Richmond
Richmond, VA
Pros
Rent averages $472/mo less ($1,227 vs $1,699)
Homes cost $104k less ($308,300 vs $412,500)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Plano
Smaller class sizes — 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $46,073/yr
Property crime (3179.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Plano
Median Income
$46,073
$105,679 vs $59,606/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
55% lower
151.6 vs 336.9 per 100k
Plano
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.1% unemployment
Plano
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 89.5°F
Richmond
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Richmond
Median Home Value
$104k less
$308,300 vs $412,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Plano, TX | Richmond, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $412,500⚠ High | $308,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,699⚠ High | $1,227 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,679 ✓ Higher | $59,606 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.8 min | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.3% ✓ Higher | 14.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 151⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (134) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 | 11.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.4% ✓ Higher | 44.1% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 88.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PLANO ISD | Richmond City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer | 47.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 89.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" ✓ Drier | 47.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" ✓ Less | 8.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,948 ✓ Larger | 227,171 |
| Median Age | 38.9 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% ✓ Higher | 43.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% ✓ More | 17.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.7% | 13.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Richmond's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Richmond is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 17 of 23 categories. Plano wins 17 and Richmond wins 6. 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 Richmond or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $308,300 median home), income ($105,679 vs $59,606), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and Richmond, VA are about 1,128 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.