McKinney, TX vs Plano, TX
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Nov 2026
Report card
| Category | McKinneyMcKinney, TX | PlanoPlano, TX | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | Same | ||
| Affluence | Good | Good | |
| Cost of Living | Same | ||
| Crime | Safe | Very Safe | |
| Education | |||
| Quality of Life | Great | Good | |
| Sovereignty | High Autonomy | High Autonomy | Same |
| Strategic | Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
At 675 property crimes per 100,000 people in McKinney, TX versus 1,193 in Plano, TX, the two 2023 Census figures show Plano 77% higher on that measure. The violent crime rate also differs, with Plano at 144 per 100,000 compared to McKinney's 116, placing Plano 24% higher; both cities fall in the 23rd and 28th percentiles respectively. Median household income runs $120,273 in McKinney, which is 11% higher than Plano's $108,649, with the former in the 88th percentile and the latter in the 83rd.
Commuting patterns diverge as well: the average commute in McKinney is 27.4 minutes, 2 minutes longer than Plano's 25.6 minutes, putting McKinney in the 76th percentile and Plano in the 65th. Population density reaches 4,008 people per square mile in Plano, 36% higher than McKinney's 2,944, and Plano's population of 287,339 is 42% larger than McKinney's 202,314. The median age in Plano is 39.3 years, 2.6 years older than McKinney's 36.7, while average household size is larger in McKinney at 2.8 compared to Plano's 2.6, a 9% difference.
Geographic positioning separates the pair most sharply: Plano sits 0 miles from its nearest large city, while McKinney is 31 miles away, a gap that puts McKinney in the 34th percentile and Plano in the 1st. Target proximity grades McKinney at B+ versus Plano's C. Other metrics run close together, including the cost of living index at 157 for McKinney and 155 for Plano, unemployment at 3.8% for both, and an air quality index of 40 for each, all drawn from 2023–2025 data sources.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Nov 2026.
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Where they differ most
Cost of living
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Plano, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 15781st pctl | 15580th pctl | About the same |
| Home valueMedian home value | $439,50076th pctl | $440,60076th pctl | About the same |
| Median rent | $1,84187th pctl | $1,79285th pctl | About the same |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $120,27388th pctl | $108,64983rd pctl | Median household income: McKinney, TX $120,273; Plano, TX $108,649; McKinney is 11% higher. |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $85,38778th pctl | $85,60178th pctl | About the same |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $125,51978th pctl | $125,83378th pctl | About the same |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Affordable | Affordable | About the same |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Plano needs about
$74,000
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 157 vs 155). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Plano, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 3.8%57th pctl | 3.8%57th pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | +3.2%90th pctl | +3.2%90th pctl | About the same |
| Per-capita income | $53,00881st pctl | $57,75385th pctl | Per-capita income: McKinney, TX $53,008; Plano, TX $57,753; Plano is 9% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 6.1%19th pctl | 7.1%25th pctl | About the same |
| CommuteAverage commute | 27.4 min76th pctl | 25.6 min65th pctl | Average commute: McKinney, TX 27.4 min; Plano, TX 25.6 min; McKinney is 2 minutes longer. |
| Work from home | 21.8%86th pctl | 25.3%91st pctl | Work from home: McKinney, TX 21.8%; Plano, TX 25.3%; Plano is 3.5 points higher. |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Strong | Stable | About the same |
| Job market | Strong | Strong | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Plano, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 11623rd pctl | 14428th pctl | Violent crime per 100k: McKinney, TX 116; Plano, TX 144; Plano is 24% higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 67517th pctl | 1,19341st pctl | Property crime per 100k: McKinney, TX 675; Plano, TX 1,193; Plano is 77% higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Falling | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Safe | Very Safe | About the same |
| Traffic safety | Very SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Very SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Plano, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Clean | Clean | About the same |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
4 rows not shown (data not available)
4 rows not shown: climate comfort, broadband, walkability and local food access aren't available for either place.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
Both are in Texas, so state taxes and state laws (homeschooling, firearms, property rights) are the same. See Texas →
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Plano, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 31 mi34th pctl | 0 mi1st pctl | Nearest large city: McKinney, TX 31 mi; Plano, TX 0 mi; McKinney is 30 mi higher. |
| Target proximity | Fair | Weak | Target proximity: McKinney, TX B+; Plano, TX C; McKinney is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 361 mi55th pctl | 350 mi53rd pctl | About the same |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 258 mi51st pctl | 249 mi49th pctl | About the same |
| StrategicStrategic location | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | McKinney, TX | Plano, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 202,31495th pctl | 287,33997th pctl | Population: McKinney, TX 202,314; Plano, TX 287,339; Plano is 42% larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 2,94477th pctl | 4,00887th pctl | Population density (per sq mi): McKinney, TX 2,944; Plano, TX 4,008; Plano is 36% higher. |
| Median age | 36.739th pctl | 39.360th pctl | Median age: McKinney, TX 36.7; Plano, TX 39.3; Plano is 2.6 years older. |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.6%83rd pctl | 59.2%87th pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: McKinney, TX 52.6%; Plano, TX 59.2%; Plano is 6.6 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 2.884th pctl | 2.667th pctl | Average household size: McKinney, TX 2.8; Plano, TX 2.6; McKinney is 9% larger. |
More about McKinney's residents · Plano's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
Moving between McKinney and Plano
- Median rent: $1,841 in McKinney, $1,792 in Plano
- Median home value: $439,500 in McKinney, $440,600 in Plano
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 157 in McKinney, 155 in Plano
- Median household income: $120,273 in McKinney, $108,649 in Plano
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $125,519 in McKinney, $125,833 in Plano
- Unemployment: 3.8% in McKinney, 3.8% in Plano
- Average commute: 27.4 min in McKinney, 25.6 min in Plano
- Violent crime per 100k: 116 in McKinney, 144 in Plano
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More places like McKinney and Plano
- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
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