McAllen 75 Excellent
McAllen Livability #117 ranked city in Texas#3,466 ranked city in the USARanks better than 88% of areas

Pros and Cons of Living in McAllen

PROS
  • Cost Of Living

    Residents in this area benefit from an affordable cost of living. This includes goods and services, transportation, housing, utilities, groceries and healthcare.

  • Housing

    The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.

  • Health & Safety

    Earning a high health and safety score depends on factors such as good air quality and the availability of essential health facilities like hospitals, clinics, doctors, and fire stations.

CONS
  • Amenities

    It appears that many amenities may not be conveniently situated within walking distance, potentially necessitating the use of a vehicle or public transit.

  • Commute

    Commuters in this area may experience longer-than-average work commute times due to limited public transportation access.

New Real Estate Listings in McAllen Area
Search Homes for Sale in McAllen, TX

What's it like Living in McAllen?

McAllen is a moderately-sized city located in the state of Texas. The city has a population of 142,557 residents. More than a quarter of the residents of McAllen identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, and 72% of the population speak Spanish as their primary or secondary language. McAllen could be a great place for young adults and students as the average age of 33 years old is below the nation’s average. Not a fan of sitting in traffic during your commute to work? McAllen offers shorter work commutes, with an average one-way commute time taking only 20 minutes, far lower than the national average of 26 minutes.

Are you trying to ascertain if living in McAllen is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a good experience before moving to any new city in Texas, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Several key factors deserve attention. For one, safety is paramount, ensuring that your new area is low in crime is key. Proximity to workplaces or schools minimizes commute times and fosters convenience. Access to essential amenities like parks, grocery stores, food, fitness, shops and healthcare facilities enhances daily life. Efficient public transportation options provide mobility and connectivity. The sense of community creates a welcoming and supportive environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere, encompassing the vibe, aesthetics, and lifestyle offerings, contributes to a fulfilling living experience. Considering these elements helps identify the ideal neighborhood for your needs and preferences. Finding the best places to live in McAllen and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes crime, commute, health & safety, employment and other important metrics.

The livability score in McAllen is 74 out of 100 and the city is ranked in the 87th percentile of all cities across America. If we take a closer look at each of the categories individually, we see that McAllen ranks well for crime (B+), education (B-) and housing (A-). There are some categories that McAllen ranks poorly for, including: amenities (F) and employment (D-). It might be worth taking a closer look to find out why.

Ensuring a sense of security is paramount for the majority of residents in any area. Low crime rates exert a positive influence on various aspects, including home prices, rates of home appreciation and the cultivation of positive community dynamics and social cohesion. In the case of McAllen, it boasts a notably low violent crime rate of 196 crimes per 100,000 residents, which significantly outperforms the national average.

For home buyers, real estate will be the largest purchase they will ever make and it will also be their most valuable asset. For renters, the monthly rent paid on their McAllen apartments will most likely be their largest expense. Based on tangible metrics like home and rental affordability and appreciation rates, housing in this area has received a score that is well above the average of every other US city. A thriving real estate market can also generate strong local economic activity and job creation.

There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in McAllen is actually affordable. Median real estate prices in McAllen come in at $131,500, which is 7.8% lower than the Texas average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In McAllen, the home price to income ratio is 2.7, which is 3.8% higher than the Texas average.

Best Places to Live in and Around McAllen

See all the best places to live around McAllen

How Do You Rate The Livability In McAllen?

1. Select a livability score between 1-100
0
Awful
25
Poor
50
Average
75
Good
100
Great
2. Select any tags that apply to this area
View results

Compare McAllen, TX Livability

      vs

      McAllen transportation information

      Statistic McAllen Texas National
      Average one way commute20min26min26min
      Workers who drive to work76.1%80.3%76.4%
      Workers who carpool12.6%10.6%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.5%1.5%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.4%0.3%0.6%
      Workers who walk0.7%1.6%2.8%
      Working from home5.9%4.3%4.6%
      Source: The McAllen, TX data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).