City comparison
No. Plano's crime index is 62 versus 158 in Riverside, and its violent crime index is 43 versus 163, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Plano is cheaper. Median rent is $1,841 a month versus $1,914 in Riverside.
Safety is where Riverside and Plano split most clearly. Plano scores 96 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,914 in Riverside and $1,841 in Plano.
Plano is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. Riverside makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Plano is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Plano has rougher pockets and Riverside has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Riverside and Plano are 1,192 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,914 a month in Riverside to $1,841 a month in Plano, down $73 a month (4%).
Median household income goes from $91,045 in Riverside to $112,253 in Plano, up $21,208 (23%).
The crime index goes from 158 in Riverside to 62 in Plano, down 96 points (61%).
The move
Plano and Riverside are 1,192 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,841 a month in Plano to $1,914 a month in Riverside, up $73 a month (4%).
Median household income goes from $112,253 in Plano to $91,045 in Riverside, down $21,208 (19%).
The crime index goes from 62 in Plano to 158 in Riverside, up 96 points (155%).
Riverside, CA
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 Riverside and Plano? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
4% cheaper
Plano rent is 4% cheaper than Riverside
Riverside
$1,914/mo
Plano
Winner$1,841/mo
Typical rent runs $1,841 a month in Plano versus $1,914 in Riverside, so Plano is 4% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $73, or $876 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
23% higher
Plano's median income is 23% higher than Riverside
Riverside
$91,045
Plano
Winner$112,253
Median household income is $112,253 in Plano versus $91,045 in Riverside, so typical pay runs 23% higher in Plano (about $21,208 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. Riverside can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
61% lower crime
Plano's crime index is 61% lower than Riverside
Riverside
158 (100 = avg)
Plano
Winner62 (100 = avg)
Plano's crime index is 62 versus 158 in Riverside (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 61% 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. Riverside can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Riverside and Plano are about even on typical weather.
Riverside
77°F avg · 84°F highs · comfort 100/100
Plano
69°F avg · 77°F highs · comfort 100/100
Riverside averages about 77°F (84°F highs); Plano averages about 69°F (77°F highs). Riverside sits near 77°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 Riverside
On these five categories Plano takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Riverside because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Riverside 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 and professional growth
Plano is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 4% cheaper here at about $1,841 a month. Choose Plano if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Plano is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 23% 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 61% lower than Riverside (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
Crime and safety tilt toward Plano: Plano scores 75/100 versus 46/100 in Riverside, with typical rent at $1,841 versus $1,914. I would vet the exact ZIP in Riverside before trading 29 safety points for housing savings.
With only $73 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,841 in Plano and $1,914 in Riverside.
If safety drives your move, Plano is the stronger match (75/100 safety versus 46/100). If an employer or family tie already points to Riverside, treat $1,914/month rent and $91,045 income as the numbers that actually govern the decision.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Riverside and Plano, plus other cities in CA and TX.
