McKinney receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
McKinney
Plano
Opportunity
73 · Top 16%
vs71 · Top 17%
Growth
77 · Top 4%
vs59 · Top 38%
Climate
65 · Bottom 32%
vs65 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 32%
vs67 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 9%
vs83 · Top 20%
Access
89 · Bottom 14%
vs96 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
78 · Top 1%
vs74 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | McKinney | Plano | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 210,600 | 290,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $124,215 | $112,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,643 | $59,916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,081/sq mi | 4,053/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $471,800 | $465,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,901 | $1,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.8% | 56.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.1% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 6.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,065 | 716 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.6 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.9% | 104.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
McKinney
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Plano
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: McKinney, TX · Plano, TX · How this is calculated: methodology