Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Houston, TX
🏆 Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845
Houston
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $76,947 more per year on average
78% less violent crime than Houston
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.8 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 8% higher than Houston
Houston, TX
Pros
Homes cost $598k less ($235,000 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $992/mo less ($1,235 vs $2,227)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 45°F
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $76,947/yr
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$76,947
$137,387 vs $60,440/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
78% lower
254.4 vs 1148.2 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
3.8 pp lower
2.8% vs 6.6% unemployment
Houston
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Houston
Median Home Value
$598k less
$235,000 vs $833,300
Houston
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 93.2°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $235,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,235 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $60,440 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 27.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 263⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 302⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 204⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 35.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | HOUSTON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 62.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 55.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% ✓ Higher | 42.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 23.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 11.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Houston's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Houston is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 13 and Houston wins 10. 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 Houston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $235,000 median home), income ($137,387 vs $60,440), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Houston, TX are about 1,215 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.