Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Austin, TX
VS
Irving, TX
🏆 Austin leads 15 of 23 categories
Austin
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$86,556 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
123⚠ High
Population
958,202 ✓ Larger
Irving
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,686
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
254,962
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Austin, TX
Pros
More college-educated — 56.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $9,870 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 57°F
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Irving
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $461,500
Violent crime (466.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3241.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,549/mo
Irving, TX
Pros
Homes cost $202k less ($259,500 vs $461,500)
41% less violent crime than Austin
Rent averages $126/mo less ($1,423 vs $1,549)
Cons
Median income trails Austin by $9,870/yr
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Austin
Key Differences at a Glance
Austin
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Austin
Median Income
$9,870
$86,556 vs $76,686/yr
Irving
Violent Crime
41% lower
275.4 vs 466.9 per 100k
Irving
Median Home Value
$202k less
$259,500 vs $461,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Austin, TX | Irving, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $461,500⚠ High | $259,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,549⚠ High | $1,423⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,556 ✓ Higher | $76,686 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.1 min | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.9% ✓ Higher | 14.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 135⚠ High | 85 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 154⚠ High | 105⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (133) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 56.5% ✓ Higher | 40.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.1% ✓ Higher | 79.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AUSTIN ISD | IRVING ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.5°F ✓ Warmer | 56.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer | 95.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" ✓ Drier | 37.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" ✓ Less | 1.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 958,202 ✓ Larger | 254,962 |
| Median Age | 34.2 ✓ Older | 32.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 37.2% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 26.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.8% ✓ More | 8.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Austin's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Irving's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Austin is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Austin leads 15 of 23 categories. Austin wins 15 and Irving wins 8. 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 Irving or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($461,500 vs $259,500 median home), income ($86,556 vs $76,686), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Austin, TX and Irving, TX are about 183 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.