Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX
VS
Sacramento, CA
🏆 Plano leads 14 of 23 categories
Plano
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948
Sacramento
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,954
Violent Crime Index
199⚠ High
Population
523,600 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Plano, TX
Pros
80% less violent crime than Sacramento
Households earn $26,725 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $38k less ($412,500 vs $450,500)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
Sacramento, CA
Pros
Rent averages $107/mo less ($1,592 vs $1,699)
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $26,725/yr
Violent crime (754.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2547.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Plano
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 108.9 (100 = US avg)
Plano
Median Income
$26,725
$105,679 vs $78,954/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
80% lower
151.6 vs 754.9 per 100k
Plano
Median Home Value
$38k less
$412,500 vs $450,500
Plano
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Plano, TX | Sacramento, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 108.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $412,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $450,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,699⚠ High | $1,592⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,679 ✓ Higher | $78,954 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.8 min | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.3% ✓ Higher | 15.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 168⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (134) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.4% ✓ Higher | 35.8% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 86.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PLANO ISD | Sacramento City Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 56.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 94.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" | 20.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,948 | 523,600 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.9 ✓ Older | 35.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% ✓ Higher | 50.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% | 13.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Sacramento's 108.9 (US average = 100).
Plano is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 14 of 23 categories. Plano wins 14 and Sacramento wins 9. 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 Sacramento or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $450,500 median home), income ($105,679 vs $78,954), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and Sacramento, CA are about 1,432 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.