Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX VS Vancouver, WA
🏆 Plano leads 19 of 23 categories
Plano
Texas
19
wins
Cost of Living Index 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income $105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index 40 ✓ Safer
Population 284,948 ✓ Larger
Vancouver
Washington
4
wins
Cost of Living Index 106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income $73,626
Violent Crime Index 153⚠ High
Population 190,700

Pros & Cons

Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.

Plano, TX
Pros
74% less violent crime than Vancouver
Households earn $32,053 more per year on average
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 47°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
Vancouver, WA
Pros
Rent averages $174/mo less ($1,525 vs $1,699)
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 94°F
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $32,053/yr
Violent crime (582.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3407.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.4%)

Key Differences at a Glance

Plano
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Plano
Median Income
$32,053
$105,679 vs $73,626/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
74% lower
151.6 vs 582.3 per 100k
Plano
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.6% unemployment
Plano
Summer Heat
13.4°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 80.9°F

Full Data Comparison

Metric Plano, TX Vancouver, WA
💰 Cost of Living
Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper 106.6⚠ High
Median Home Value $412,500⚠ High $403,400⚠ High ✓ Lower
Median Monthly Rent $1,699⚠ High $1,525⚠ High ✓ Lower
📈 Income & Economy
Median Household Income $105,679 ✓ Higher $73,626
Unemployment Rate 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower 5.6%⚠ High
Avg Commute Minutes each way 25.8 min 23.9 min ✓ Shorter
Work From Home % 22.3% ✓ Higher 13.8%
🔒 Safety
Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property 52 ✓ Safer 157⚠ High
Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer 40 ✓ Safer 153⚠ High
Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer 70 ✓ Safer 162⚠ High
🎓 Education
School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment A+ (134) ✓ Better B (97)
Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller 17.0:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 58.4% ✓ Higher 31.2%
High School or Higher 93.6% ✓ Higher 91.3%
School District Name only — no quality rating available PLANO ISD Evergreen School District (Clark)
🌤 Weather
Avg High — January 55.9°F ✓ Warmer 47.0°F
Avg High — July 94.3°F ✓ Warmer 80.9°F
Annual Precipitation 40.7" ✓ Drier 44.4"
Annual Snowfall 2.6" ✓ Less 4.2"
👥 Demographics
Population 284,948 ✓ Larger 190,700
Median Age 38.9 ✓ Older 37.4
Homeownership Rate 56.7% ✓ Higher 50.9%
Under 18 21.7% ✓ More 21.5%
Over 65 13.7% 16.1% ✓ More

Frequently Asked Questions

Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Vancouver's 106.6 (US average = 100). Plano is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 19 of 23 categories. Plano wins 19 and Vancouver wins 4. 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 Vancouver or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $403,400 median home), income ($105,679 vs $73,626), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and Vancouver, WA are about 1,621 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.

Related Comparisons

Compare Any Two Cities

vs