City comparison
No. Plano's crime index is 62 versus 162 in Austin, and its violent crime index is 43 versus 130, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Austin is cheaper. Median rent is $1,729 a month versus $1,841 in Plano.
Safety is where Austin and Plano split most clearly. Plano scores 100 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,729 in Austin and $1,841 in Plano.
This is a genuine split. Austin wins on cost of living and Plano wins on the job market and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The crime gap is citywide. Plano has rougher pockets and Austin has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Austin and Plano are 200 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,729 a month in Austin to $1,841 a month in Plano, up $112 a month (6%).
Median household income goes from $93,658 in Austin to $112,253 in Plano, up $18,595 (20%).
The crime index goes from 162 in Austin to 62 in Plano, down 100 points (62%).
The move
Plano and Austin are 200 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,841 a month in Plano to $1,729 a month in Austin, down $112 a month (6%).
Median household income goes from $112,253 in Plano to $93,658 in Austin, down $18,595 (17%).
The crime index goes from 62 in Plano to 162 in Austin, up 100 points (161%).
Austin, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Plano, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Austin and Plano? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
6% cheaper
Austin rent is 6% cheaper than Plano
Austin
Winner$1,729/mo
Plano
$1,841/mo
Typical rent runs $1,729 a month in Austin versus $1,841 in Plano, so Austin is 6% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $112, or $1,344 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.
Planning to buy in Plano? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
20% higher
Plano's median income is 20% higher than Austin
Austin
$93,658
Plano
Winner$112,253
Median household income is $112,253 in Plano versus $93,658 in Austin, so typical pay runs 20% higher in Plano (about $18,595 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, Plano is the stronger labor market on paper. Austin can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
62% lower crime
Plano's crime index is 62% lower than Austin
Austin
162 (100 = avg)
Plano
Winner62 (100 = avg)
Plano's crime index is 62 versus 162 in Austin (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 62% lower in Plano. 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, Plano is the easier city. Austin can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Austin and Plano are about even on typical weather.
Austin
68°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Plano
69°F avg · 77°F highs · comfort 100/100
Austin averages about 68°F (76°F highs); Plano averages about 69°F (77°F highs). Austin sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Plano sits near 69°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Austin
Austin is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 6% cheaper here at about $1,729 a month. Choose Austin if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Plano is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 20% higher here ($112,253). Start with Plano if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Plano is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 62% lower than Austin (62 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.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Plano leads on safety (75/100 vs 45/100 in Austin). Typical rent is $1,841 in Plano and $1,729 in Austin; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Austin rent at $1,729/month is still below Plano's $1,841, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,729 in Austin and $1,841 in Plano.
Most movers who prioritize safety land in Plano; Austin only makes sense when you have walked the Austin ZIP you would rent and accept the trade for $1,729 rent.
Common questions
Ready to move to Plano?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for Plano when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Austin and Plano, plus other cities in TX.
