City comparison
Tampa, FL 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 $1,977 a month in Tampa and $1,931 in Mckinney, and median household income lands at $66,802 versus $113,286. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Tampa takes safety and weather, while Mckinney takes affordability and job market. The widest gap is median income, where Mckinney leads by 70% — 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 Tampa can feel further apart than Tampa and Mckinney do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Tampa and Mckinney reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Tampa, FL
Mckinney, TX
Rent
2% cheaper
Mckinney rent is 2% cheaper than Tampa
Tampa
$1,977/mo
Mckinney
Winner$1,931/mo
Typical rent runs $1,931 a month in Mckinney versus $1,977 in Tampa, so Mckinney is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $46, or $552 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
70% higher
Mckinney's median income is 70% higher than Tampa
Tampa
$66,802
Mckinney
Winner$113,286
Median household income is $113,286 in Mckinney versus $66,802 in Tampa, so typical pay runs 70% higher in Mckinney — about $46,484 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Mckinney is the stronger labor market on paper. Tampa can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
37% lower crime
Tampa's crime index is 37% lower than Mckinney
Tampa
Winner69 (100 = avg)
Mckinney
109 (100 = avg)
Tampa's crime index is 69 versus 109 in Mckinney (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 37% lower in Tampa. 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, Tampa is the easier city. Mckinney can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
Neck and neck
Tampa and Mckinney are about even on school scores.
Tampa
A- · 84/100
Mckinney
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Tampa, 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
26% more comfortable
Tampa weather is 26% more comfortable than Mckinney
Tampa
Winner85°F typical
Mckinney
90°F typical
Tampa scores 26% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 85°F in Tampa and 90°F in Mckinney. Tampa reads as hot, long summers; Mckinney reads as hot, long summers. 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. Tampa is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Mckinney 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
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Tampa if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (85°F) beat Mckinney on this page's weather index by 26%. Mckinney may pay more or cost less, but Tampa is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Tampa is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 37% lower than Mckinney (69 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
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Mckinney is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 2% cheaper here at about $1,931 a month. Choose Mckinney if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Mckinney is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 70% higher here ($113,286). Start with Mckinney if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
If the job market is your priority, Mckinney is the clear choice.
If safety matters more to you, Tampa pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Mckinney offers the better overall package.
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