Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Austin, TX
VS
Urban Honolulu, HI
🏆 Austin leads 12 of 23 categories
Austin
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$86,556 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
123⚠ High
Population
958,202 ✓ Larger
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,772
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
348,547
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Austin, TX
Pros
Homes cost $344k less ($461,500 vs $805,500)
More college-educated — 56.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.4%)
Rent averages $185/mo less ($1,549 vs $1,734)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Urban Honolulu
Households earn $3,784 more per year on average
Cons
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
Urban Honolulu, HI
Pros
60% less violent crime than Austin
Violent crime is well below the national average (185.2 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 97°F
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 63°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $805,500
Higher rents — median is $1,734/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Austin
Median income trails Austin by $3,784/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Austin
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 106.8 (100 = US avg)
Austin
Median Income
$3,784
$86,556 vs $82,772/yr
Austin
Median Home Value
$344k less
$461,500 vs $805,500
Austin
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.1% unemployment
Austin
Summer Heat
17.6°F warmer
July avg high 96.6°F vs 79.0°F
Urban Honolulu
Violent Crime
60% lower
185.2 vs 466.9 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Austin, TX | Urban Honolulu, HI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper | 106.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $461,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $805,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,549⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,734⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,556 ✓ Higher | $82,772 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.1 min | 22.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.9% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 135⚠ High | 63 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 154⚠ High | 85 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (133) ✓ Better | B+ (108) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 56.5% ✓ Higher | 39.2% |
| High School or Higher | 91.1% ✓ Higher | 90.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AUSTIN ISD | Hawaii Department of Education |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.5°F | 76.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer | 79.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" | 31.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 958,202 ✓ Larger | 348,547 |
| Median Age | 34.2 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% | 48.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 9.8% | 21.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Austin's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Urban Honolulu's 106.8 (US average = 100).
Austin is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Austin leads 12 of 23 categories. Austin wins 12 and Urban Honolulu 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 Urban Honolulu or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($461,500 vs $805,500 median home), income ($86,556 vs $82,772), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Austin, TX and Urban Honolulu, HI are about 3,747 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.