Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Plano leads 16 of 23 categories
Plano
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Wilmington
North Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Plano, TX
Pros
Households earn $46,771 more per year on average
69% less violent crime than Wilmington
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.4%)
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 6% higher than Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Rent averages $486/mo less ($1,213 vs $1,699)
Homes cost $94k less ($318,600 vs $412,500)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Plano
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $46,771/yr
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Plano
Median Income
$46,771
$105,679 vs $58,908/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
69% lower
151.6 vs 482.8 per 100k
Plano
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.4% vs 4.9% unemployment
Plano
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 90.0°F
Wilmington
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Median Home Value
$94k less
$318,600 vs $412,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Plano, TX | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $412,500⚠ High | $318,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,699⚠ High | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,679 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.8 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.3% ✓ Higher | 14.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (134) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.4% ✓ Higher | 43.6% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 93.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PLANO ISD | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 57.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,948 ✓ Larger | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 38.9 ✓ Older | 37.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.7% | 17.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 16 of 23 categories. Plano wins 16 and Wilmington wins 7. 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 Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $318,600 median home), income ($105,679 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and Wilmington, NC are about 1,087 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.