McKinney TX vs Wichita KS — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

McKinney, TX

Texas · Population: 148,848

  • Median HH Income$71,843
  • Median Home Price$487,346
  • Unemployment4.8%
  • Bachelor's+18.5%

Wichita, KS

Kansas · Population: 396,488

  • Median HH Income$63,072
  • Median Home Price$204,104
  • Unemployment5.7%
  • Bachelor's+30.9%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
McKinney
148,848
Wichita
396,488
Wichita +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
McKinney
N/A
Wichita
N/A
Median Age
McKinney
33.4
McKinney +
Wichita
35.7
Foreign Born
McKinney
21.0%
McKinney +
Wichita
10.0%
White
McKinney
37.8%
Wichita
66.6%
Wichita +
Black
McKinney
24.7%
McKinney +
Wichita
9.7%
Asian
McKinney
3.0%
Wichita
4.9%
Wichita +
Hispanic
McKinney
44.7%
McKinney +
Wichita
18.4%
Spanish at Home
McKinney
N/A
Wichita
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
McKinney
$71,843
McKinney +
Wichita
$63,072
Per Capita Income
McKinney
$29,291
Wichita
$35,958
Wichita +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
McKinney
$63,758
McKinney +
Wichita
$61,860
Unemployment Rate
McKinney
4.8%
McKinney +
Wichita
5.7%
Poverty Rate
McKinney
12.4%
McKinney +
Wichita
15.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
McKinney
18.5%
Wichita
30.9%
Wichita +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
McKinney
$487,346
Wichita
$204,104
Wichita +
Homeownership Rate
McKinney
63.2%
McKinney +
Wichita
58.4%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
McKinney
442
McKinney +
Wichita
449
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
McKinney
2339
Wichita
2174
Wichita +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
McKinney
33.9%
McKinney +
Wichita
39.5%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
McKinney
9.1%
McKinney +
Wichita
12.6%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
McKinney
15.7%
McKinney +
Wichita
17.7%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
McKinney
10.9%
McKinney +
Wichita
12.9%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
McKinney
18.3%
Wichita
15.4%
Wichita +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
McKinney
9.9%
McKinney +
Wichita
16.3%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
McKinney
64.2°F
Wichita
57.0°F
Wichita +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
McKinney
40.0 in
Wichita
32.6 in
Wichita +

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
McKinney
9.2 µg/m³
Wichita
8.2 µg/m³
Wichita +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
McKinney
55.0%
Wichita
75.0%
Wichita +

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
McKinney
35.6 min
Wichita
20.2 min
Wichita +

Which City is Right for You?

McKinney leads in median household income at $71,843, while wichita offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $204,104. On public safety, McKinney is safer with a violent crime rate of 442 per 100,000 residents, compared to 449 in Wichita. McKinney has a lower unemployment rate at 4.8%, and Wichita has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, McKinney scores better with a lower obesity rate of 33.9%.

Compare More Cities

About McKinney & Wichita