McKinney vs Richardson
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $431,400 in Richardson and $471,800 in McKinney.
- Households earn more in McKinney ($124,215 vs $98,111 median).
- McKinney is growing faster: +20.8% since 2020 vs -0.8%.
- Commutes are shorter in Richardson (24 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| McKinney, TX | Richardson, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 236,001 | 118,542 |
| Growth since 2020 | +20.8% | -0.8% |
| People per square mile | 3,452 | 4,150 |
| Median age | 36.9 | 33.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54% | 57% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $124,215 | $98,111 |
| Median home value | $471,800 | $431,400 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 4.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,901 | $1,857 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.1 | 103.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 117.9 | 117.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,300 | $77,300 |
| Homeowners | 64% | 51% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 27.8 | 23.6 |
| Work from home | 25% | 25% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.7% | 5% |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 9.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 56° / 34° | 58° / 38° |
| July high / low | 95° / 74° | 97° / 78° |
| Precipitation per year | 38 in | 38 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 2 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 97 | 108 |
| Nights below freezing | 48 | 23 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.9 | 99.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 28% | 28% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.5% | +0.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.4% | +35.4% |
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: McKinney: March to April and October to November. Richardson: March to April and November.
Full monthly tables: McKinney weather by month and Richardson 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 McKinney and $77,300 in Richardson. Moving from McKinney to Richardson, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between McKinney and Richardson
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from McKinney and Richardson.
Which would you pick?
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