Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Austin, TX
VS
San Bernardino, CA
🏆 Austin leads 14 of 22 categories
Austin
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$86,556 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
123⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
958,202 ✓ Larger
San Bernardino
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,323
Violent Crime Index
236⚠ High
Population
221,041
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Austin, TX
Pros
48% less violent crime than San Bernardino
Households earn $25,233 more per year on average
More college-educated — 56.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (4.4%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than San Bernardino
Cons
Violent crime (466.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $461,500
Higher rents — median is $1,549/mo
Property crime (3241.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
San Bernardino, CA
Pros
Homes cost $114k less ($347,100 vs $461,500)
Rent averages $230/mo less ($1,319 vs $1,549)
Cons
Median income trails Austin by $25,233/yr
Violent crime (897.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2897.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Austin
Key Differences at a Glance
Austin
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Austin
Median Income
$25,233
$86,556 vs $61,323/yr
Austin
Violent Crime
48% lower
466.9 vs 897.1 per 100k
Austin
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.6% unemployment
San Bernardino
Median Home Value
$114k less
$347,100 vs $461,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Austin, TX | San Bernardino, 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 | $347,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,549⚠ High | $1,319 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,556 ✓ Higher | $61,323 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.1 min ✓ Shorter | 28.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 22.9% ✓ Higher | 5.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 135⚠ High ✓ Safer | 197⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 154⚠ High | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (133) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 56.5% ✓ Higher | 12.8% |
| High School or Higher | 91.1% ✓ Higher | 72.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AUSTIN ISD | San Bernardino City Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.5°F | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer | 95.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" | 21.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 958,202 ✓ Larger | 221,041 |
| Median Age | 34.2 ✓ Older | 31.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% | 48.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 27.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.8% | 9.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Austin's cost of living index is 97.6 vs San Bernardino's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Austin is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Austin leads 14 of 22 categories. Austin wins 14 and San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($461,500 vs $347,100 median home), income ($86,556 vs $61,323), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Austin, TX and San Bernardino, CA are about 1,171 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.