Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Allen vs Leander

188 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+99 pts in Leander) and trails (2.8× in Leander).

×
Allen, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 110,265 people
×
Leander, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 74,067 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 →
LeanderKnown for its schools
Schools#179 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$422K typical home41% above the TX typical home HealthHealthier than 89%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Leander →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Growth since 2010+99 pts
Leander has grown faster since 2010
Leander +123.2%Allen +24.2%
Trails2.8×
Leander has more miles of trail
Leander 31.8 miAllen 11.5 mi
Street grid+84%
Allen has the more walkable street grid
Allen 118Leander 64.1
Property tax bill+16%
Tax bills are bigger in Leander
Leander $9,083Allen $7,844
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $390 more a month in Allen

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 →
Leander$2,840/mo
Typical home $422K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.79% · or rent about $1,939/mo · Housing →

The difference: $390 a month, about $4,600 a year, between Allen and Leander.

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.

Report cards

Allen places higher on 17 of 26 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 A−LeanderSafer than 76% of U.S. towns
Schools
AAllenBetter than 92% of districts in the state A−LeanderBetter than 79% of districts in the state
Health
AAllenHealthier than 92% of U.S. towns ALeanderHealthier than 89% of U.S. towns
17Allen
7Leander

Lists won, of 26 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 632 towns #39#336 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 180 towns #117#39 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #48#300 Most library borrowingLibraries · 183 towns #17#82 Most-used librariesLibraries · 183 towns #74#128 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #69#256 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #190#43 Most trailsOutdoors · 405 towns #194#90

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
AllenLeander
Snow a year3″0″
January low—36°F
July high—96°F
Growing season (days)—259d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)60th33rd
Outdoors & history
AllenLeander
Trails12 mi32 mi
Conserved land6.5%4.8%
Settled1953—
National Register places1—
Community
AllenLeander
Library hours a week61 hrs52 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.

Where they are

188 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AllenTXLeanderTX
Allen ↔ Leander188 miles apart
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.

AllenLeander
People
Population 110,265Highest 74,067Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +24.2%Lowest TX: +15.9% +123.2%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 38.4±0.9Highest 8% above TX 36.3±0.7Lowest about the TX average
Kids under 18 25.4%±1.6Lowest TX: 25% 26.9%±1.6Highest TX: 25%
Leander and Allen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.4%±0.9Highest TX: 13.4% 8.5%±0.9Lowest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 57.5%Highest TX: 33.8% 53.3%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.8%±0.9Highest TX: 6.2% 4.5%±0.6Lowest TX: 6.2%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $130,901±$8kLowest 67% above TX $139,048±$5kHighest 77% above TX
Leander and Allen 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 $506,200±$20kHighest 78% above TX
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,932±$59Lowest 38% above TX $1,939±$92Highest 38% above TX
Leander 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 $9,083Highest 115% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.9%±5.7Highest TX: 51.7% 46.2%±5.6Lowest TX: 51.7%
Allen and Leander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.1%Highest TX: 13.8% 5.8%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.4%Lowest TX: 62.6% 73.4%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2003Lowest 11 yrs newer than TX 2013Highest 21 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 5% above TX 29 minHighest 9% above TX
Work from home 26.7%±1.8Lowest TX: 14.4% 30.6%±2.2Highest TX: 14.4%
Leander 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 9.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miLowest 16.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.70Highest 0.50Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Dallas (20%)Austin (44%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in LeanderFew work in Allen
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.5%Highest 4.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 11.5 miLowest 31.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 44Highest 20Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 118Highest 64.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #52 of 583 in TX#179 of 583 in TX
School district ALLEN ISD · PLANO ISDHARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS - CENTRAL TEXAS · LEANDER ISD
High school in town Allen H SRouse H S
Students per teacherat that high school 19.8Highest 16.0Lowest
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.

Leander neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Leander’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Allen and Leander

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Allen

P
+ Compare
Plano290,594 people · $466K homes
L
+ Compare
Lucas8,351 people · $942K homes
+ Compare
Fairview10,783 people · $597K homes
+ Compare
Parker5,999 people · $860K homes

Towns like Allen

+ Compare
Cedar Park78,301 people · $514K homes
+ Compare
League City116,215 people · $360K homes
+ Compare
McKinney210,600 people · $472K homes
+ Compare
Pearland127,514 people · $356K homes

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.

Post to Allen

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in