Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Austin, TX
VS
Corona, CA
🏆 Austin leads 12 of 23 categories
Austin
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$86,556
Violent Crime Index
123⚠ High
Population
958,202 ✓ Larger
Corona
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$103,727 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
66 ✓ Safer
Population
158,346
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Austin, TX
Pros
Homes cost $163k less ($461,500 vs $624,200)
Rent averages $471/mo less ($1,549 vs $2,020)
More college-educated — 56.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Corona
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (466.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Corona by $17,171/yr
Property crime (3241.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Corona, CA
Pros
47% less violent crime than Austin
Violent crime is well below the national average (249.4 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $17,171 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 63°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,200
Higher rents — median is $2,020/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Austin
Longer commutes — 35.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Austin
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Austin
Median Home Value
$163k less
$461,500 vs $624,200
Corona
Median Income
$17,171
$103,727 vs $86,556/yr
Corona
Violent Crime
47% lower
249.4 vs 466.9 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Austin, TX | Corona, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $461,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $624,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,549⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,020⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,556 | $103,727 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.1 min ✓ Shorter | 35.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 22.9% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 135⚠ High | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High | 66 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 154⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (133) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 56.5% ✓ Higher | 30.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.1% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AUSTIN ISD | Corona-Norco Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.5°F | 69.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer | 93.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" | 11.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 958,202 ✓ Larger | 158,346 |
| Median Age | 34.2 | 35.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% | 63.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 24.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.8% | 11.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Austin's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Corona's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Austin is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Austin leads 12 of 23 categories. Austin wins 12 and Corona wins 11. 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 Austin to Corona or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($461,500 vs $624,200 median home), income ($86,556 vs $103,727), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Austin, TX and Corona, CA are about 1,184 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.