What it's like to live in McKinney
McKinney is a large city in Texas with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. McKinney deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, and hot summers.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Several well-rated hospitals
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Hot summers
How McKinney compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to McKinney
Based on McKinney's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,802
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $76,040 a year
- 47% of McKinney renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$94,360
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $47,180
- Homes cost 3.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 35% above US
$1,901/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,901 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $471,800. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $471,800 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 65% below US
115 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 680/100k · McKinney Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.8 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 25% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 94°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 36°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 50% above US
54% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
59 public schools inside the boundary
There are 59 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Chickasaw National Recreation Area (89 miles away).
Bottom line
McKinney's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,901/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (25% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
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