Austin vs McAllen
The short version
- McAllen is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 12% lower than in the Austin area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $190,400 in McAllen and $555,300 in Austin.
- Households earn more in Austin ($93,658 vs $61,579 median).
- McAllen has the warmer winter: January highs of 73°F vs 63°F.
- McAllen has more scorching days: 177 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 123.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 1,002,632 | 150,640 |
| Growth since 2020 | +4.6% | +5.9% |
| People per square mile | 3,072 | 2,415 |
| Median age | 34.7 | 33.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60% | 33% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $93,658 | $61,579 |
| Median home value | $555,300 | $190,400 |
| Home value to income | 5.9× | 3.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,729 | $1,049 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 98.1 | 85.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 120.4 | 55.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,500 | $64,400 |
| Homeowners | 43% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.7 | 21.9 |
| Work from home | 31% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.7% | 6% |
| Poverty rate | 12% | 20% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 63° / 42° | 73° / 53° |
| July high / low | 97° / 75° | 99° / 79° |
| Precipitation per year | 36 in | 22 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 123 | 177 |
| Nights below freezing | 12 | 1 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.7 | 99.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 44% | 44% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.3% | +7.6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +15.2% | +54.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Austin: February to April and October to December. McAllen: November to March.
Full monthly tables: Austin weather by month and McAllen weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,500 in Austin and $64,400 in McAllen. Moving from Austin to McAllen, you would need about $65,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Austin and McAllen
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Austin and McAllen.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.