City comparison
Allen, TX versus Seattle, WA is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,932 a month in Allen and $2,030 in Seattle, and median household income lands at $130,901 versus $123,860. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Allen takes affordability, job market, and safety, while Seattle takes schools and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where Allen leads by 72% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.
Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Allen can feel further apart than Allen and Seattle do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Allen and Seattle reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Allen, TX
Seattle, WA
Rent
5% cheaper
Allen rent is 5% cheaper than Seattle
Allen
Winner$1,932/mo
Seattle
$2,030/mo
Typical rent runs $1,932 a month in Allen versus $2,030 in Seattle, so Allen is 5% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $98, or $1,176 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
6% higher
Allen's median income is 6% higher than Seattle
Allen
Winner$130,901
Seattle
$123,860
Median household income is $130,901 in Allen versus $123,860 in Seattle, so typical pay runs 6% higher in Allen — about $7,041 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
72% lower crime
Allen's crime index is 72% lower than Seattle
Allen
Winner32 (100 = avg)
Seattle
116 (100 = avg)
Allen's crime index is 32 versus 116 in Seattle (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 72% lower in Allen. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Allen is the easier city. Seattle can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
5% higher scores
Seattle's school scores are 5% higher than Allen
Allen
A- · 84/100
Seattle
WinnerA · 88/100
Seattle grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Allen — school scores run 5% higher in Seattle. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Allen is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.
Typical weather
29% more comfortable
Seattle weather is 29% more comfortable than Allen
Allen
82°F typical
Seattle
Winner66°F typical
Seattle scores 29% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 82°F in Allen and 66°F in Seattle. Allen reads as hot, long summers; Seattle reads as mild, livable temperatures. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Seattle is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Allen can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Allen is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 5% cheaper here at about $1,932 a month. Choose Allen if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Allen is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 6% higher here ($130,901). Start with Allen if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Allen is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 72% lower than Seattle (32 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Seattle if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (66°F) beat Allen on this page's weather index by 29%. Allen may pay more or cost less, but Seattle is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Parents — or anyone planning kids in the next few years — should weight Seattle first. School scores run 5% higher (A vs A-). Allen only wins the school argument if you already have a specific campus in mind that beats this composite.
Bottom line
If safety is your priority, Allen is the clear choice.
If weather matters more to you, Seattle pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Allen offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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