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Allen vs Fairview

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: size (10.2× in Allen) and growth since 2010 (+18.9 pts in Fairview).

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Allen, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 110,265 people
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Fairview, TXHomes around $655KTexas · 10,783 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

AllenKnown for its schools
Schools#52 for schools in TXof 583 towns Outdoors#48 most walkable in TX12 miles of trails across 44 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 92%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Allen →
FairviewHomes around $655K
Housing$655K typical home119% above the TX typical home Schools#5 for schools in TXof 583 towns Outdoors#18 most trails in TX20 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves All about Fairview →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Size10.2×
Allen is the bigger place
Allen 110,265Fairview 10,783
Growth since 2010+18.9 pts
Fairview has grown faster since 2010
Fairview +43.1%Allen +24.2%
Age 65++18.7 pts
Fairview has more people 65 and up
Fairview 30.1%Allen 11.4%
Street grid2.3×
Allen has the more walkable street grid
Allen 118Fairview 51.3
Median age10.7 yrs
Fairview skews older
Fairview 49.1Allen 38.4
Home values+29%
Homes cost more in Fairview
Fairview $597,300Allen $464,100
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $970 more a month in Fairview

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Allen$3,230/mo
Typical home $485K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.69% · or rent about $1,932/mo · Housing →
Fairview$4,190/mo
Typical home $655K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.40% · or rent about $1,947/mo · Housing →

The difference: $970 a month, about $11,600 a year, between Fairview and Allen.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

Allen and Fairview share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

AllenFairviewAllenFairview
Allen ↔ Fairview3.9 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
334 Fairview residents work in Allen (7% of its workers)
Work & commute in Fairview →
Report cards

Allen places higher on 13 of 21 TX lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
B+AllenSafer than 70% of U.S. towns B+FairviewSafer than 74% of U.S. towns
Schools
AAllenBetter than 92% of districts in the state AFairviewBetter than 88% of districts in the state
Health
AAllenHealthier than 92% of U.S. towns A−FairviewHealthier than 79% of U.S. towns
13Allen
6Fairview

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #48#413 Most trailsOutdoors · 405 towns #194#18 Shortest commuteGetting around · 653 towns #418#577 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 632 towns #39#146 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #190#270 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #69#148 HealthiestHealth · 651 towns #47#120 Fastest growingGrowth · 640 towns #156#88

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Allen’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
AllenFairview
Snow a year3″3″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)60th61st
Outdoors & history
AllenFairview
Trails12 mi20 mi
Conserved land6.5%6.1%
Settled1953—
National Register places11
Community
AllenFairview
Library hours a week61 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

AllenFairview
People
Population 110,265Highest 10,783Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +24.2%Lowest TX: +15.9% +43.1%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 38.4±0.9Lowest 8% above TX 49.1±5.1Highest 38% above TX
Kids under 18 25.4%±1.6Highest TX: 25% 22.7%±4.9Lowest TX: 25%
Allen and Fairview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.4%±0.9Lowest TX: 13.4% 30.1%±4.6Highest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 57.5%Lowest TX: 33.8% 59.4%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.8%±0.9Highest TX: 6.2% 5.9%±3.1Lowest TX: 6.2%
Allen and Fairview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $130,901±$8kHighest 67% above TX $109,347±$18kLowest 39% above TX
Allen and Fairview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $464,100±$8kLowest 64% above TX $597,300±$40kHighest 110% above TX
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,932±$59Lowest 38% above TX $1,947±$240Highest 39% above TX
Fairview and Allen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $7,844Lowest 85% above TX $8,355Highest 97% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.9%±5.7Lowest TX: 51.7% 66.1%±24.8Highest TX: 51.7%
Fairview and Allen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.1%Lowest TX: 13.8% 14.8%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.4%Lowest TX: 62.6% 73.9%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2003Lowest 11 yrs newer than TX 2006Highest 14 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 5% above TX 34 minHighest 27% above TX
Work from home 26.7%±1.8Lowest TX: 14.4% 35.3%±7.3Highest TX: 14.4%
Fairview and Allen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 10.7%Highest 1.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miLowest 16.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.70Highest 0.37Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Dallas (20%)Dallas (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Fairview7% work in Allen
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.5%Highest 6.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 11.5 miLowest 20.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miLowest 2.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 44Highest 7Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 118Highest 51.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #52 of 583 in TX#5 of 583 in TX
School district ALLEN ISD · PLANO ISDLOVEJOY ISD
High school in town Allen H SNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 19.8 —
Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Allen neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Allen’s Town Square.

Fairview neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fairview’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Allen and Fairview

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Bordering Allen

P
+ Compare
Plano290,594 people · $466K homes
L
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Lucas8,351 people · $942K homes
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Parker5,999 people · $860K homes
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McKinney210,600 people · $472K homes

Towns like Allen

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Cedar Park78,301 people · $514K homes
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Leander74,067 people · $506K homes
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League City116,215 people · $360K homes
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Pearland127,514 people · $356K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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