Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Garland, TX
🏆 Garland leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
235,845
Garland
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,044
Violent Crime Index
61 ✓ Safer
Population
244,026 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $66,343 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Garland
Garland, TX
Pros
Homes cost $604k less ($229,000 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $806/mo less ($1,421 vs $2,227)
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 45°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $66,343/yr
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$66,343
$137,387 vs $71,044/yr
Arlington
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
2.8% vs 5.2% unemployment
Garland
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Garland
Violent Crime
9% lower
232.7 vs 254.4 per 100k
Garland
Median Home Value
$604k less
$229,000 vs $833,300
Garland
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Garland, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $229,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,421⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $71,044 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.7 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 9.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 75 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 95 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 24.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 78.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | GARLAND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 41.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 | 244,026 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 62.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 12.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Garland's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Garland is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garland leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 11 and Garland wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Garland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $229,000 median home), income ($137,387 vs $71,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Garland, TX are about 1,165 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.