City comparison
Plano, TX versus Mckinney, TX 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 $1,931 a month in Plano and $1,931 in Mckinney, and median household income lands at $105,679 versus $113,286. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Mckinney takes job market and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Mckinney leads by 7% — 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 Plano can feel further apart than Plano and Mckinney do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Plano and Mckinney reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Plano, TX
Mckinney, TX
Rent
Neck and neck
Plano and Mckinney are about even on rent.
Plano
$1,931/mo
Mckinney
$1,931/mo
Typical rent in Plano is $1,931 a month versus $1,931 in Mckinney — close enough that housing cost should not decide the move by itself. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets, then pick the city that wins the categories you actually live in: safety, schools, pay, or weather.
Median income
7% higher
Mckinney's median income is 7% higher than Plano
Plano
$105,679
Mckinney
Winner$113,286
Median household income is $113,286 in Mckinney versus $105,679 in Plano, so typical pay runs 7% higher in Mckinney — about $7,607 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
Neck and neck
Plano and Mckinney are about even on crime index.
Plano
109 (100 = avg)
Mckinney
109 (100 = avg)
Plano and Mckinney post similar crime indexes (109 vs 109, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.
School scores
Neck and neck
Plano and Mckinney are about even on school scores.
Plano
A- · 84/100
Mckinney
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Plano, A- in Mckinney). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
4% more comfortable
Mckinney weather is 4% more comfortable than Plano
Plano
91°F typical
Mckinney
Winner90°F typical
Mckinney scores 4% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 91°F in Plano and 90°F in Mckinney. Plano reads as hot, long summers; Mckinney reads as hot, long summers. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Plano's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Mckinney is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Plano
On these five categories Mckinney takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Plano because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose Plano only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 7% higher ($113,286), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 90°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Bottom line
If the job market is your priority, Mckinney is the clear choice.
If weather matters more to you, Mckinney pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Mckinney offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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