Dallas vs McAllen
The short version
- McAllen is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 17% lower than in the Dallas area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $190,400 in McAllen and $320,700 in Dallas.
- Households earn more in Dallas ($70,518 vs $61,579 median).
- McAllen has the warmer winter: January highs of 73°F vs 58°F.
- McAllen has more scorching days: 177 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 108.
- McAllen is growing faster: +5.9% since 2020 vs +1.9%.
- Commutes are shorter in McAllen (22 vs 26 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Dallas, TX | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 1,329,491 | 150,640 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.9% | +5.9% |
| People per square mile | 3,914 | 2,415 |
| Median age | 33.4 | 33.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38% | 33% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $70,518 | $61,579 |
| Median home value | $320,700 | $190,400 |
| Home value to income | 4.5× | 3.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,472 | $1,049 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.1 | 85.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 117.9 | 55.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,300 | $64,400 |
| Homeowners | 42% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 25.7 | 21.9 |
| Work from home | 16% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.9% | 6% |
| Poverty rate | 16.7% | 20% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 58° / 38° | 73° / 53° |
| July high / low | 97° / 78° | 99° / 79° |
| Precipitation per year | 38 in | 22 in |
| Snowfall per year | 2 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 108 | 177 |
| Nights below freezing | 23 | 1 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.7 | 99.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 28% | 44% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.5% | +7.6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.4% | +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: Dallas: March to April and November. McAllen: November to March.
Full monthly tables: Dallas 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 $77,300 in Dallas and $64,400 in McAllen. Moving from Dallas to McAllen, you would need about $62,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Dallas 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 Dallas and McAllen.
Which would you pick?
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