City comparison
Abilene, TX is about 450 miles (700 km) from Mission, TX in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 550 miles, or about 9 h 15 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Abilene, TX to Mission, TX takes about 53 min, covering roughly 450 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Abilene has a population of 126,356, vs 85,755 in Mission — about 1.5× larger by population. By land area, Abilene covers about 105 sq mi vs 36 sq mi for Mission.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Abilene | Mission | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,060/mo | $876/mo | 21.0% higher in Abilene |
| Median home value | $161,800 | $147,600 | 9.6% higher in Abilene |
| Median household income | $59,254 | $56,421 | 5.0% higher in Abilene |
| Groceries index | 94.2 | 94.2 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 82.4 | 82.4 | ≈ equal (Mission slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 96.6 | 96.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 96.1 | 96.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Abilene, you'd need $91,308 in Mission to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Mission, TX is about 8.7% cheaper overall than Abilene, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 31% higher in Abilene than in Mission. If you earn $80,000 in Abilene, you'd need about $73,047 in Mission to keep the same standard of living.