Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baton Rouge, LA
VS
Edinburg, TX
🏆 Edinburg leads 15 of 22 categories
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$50,155
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High
Population
225,500 ✓ Larger
Edinburg
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
71 ✓ Safer
Population
100,964
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baton Rouge, LA
Pros
More college-educated — 36.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 97°F
Cons
Violent crime (1027.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5852.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 7.2%)
Median income trails Edinburg by $3,984/yr
Edinburg, TX
Pros
74% less violent crime than Baton Rouge
Homes cost $58k less ($159,600 vs $217,700)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (7.2%)
Rent averages $90/mo less ($920 vs $1,010)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.6)
Households earn $3,984 more per year on average
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Edinburg
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 90.8 (100 = US avg)
Edinburg
Median Income
$3,984
$54,139 vs $50,155/yr
Edinburg
Violent Crime
74% lower
269.6 vs 1027.7 per 100k
Edinburg
Median Home Value
$58k less
$159,600 vs $217,700
Edinburg
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
7.2% vs 8.6% unemployment
Edinburg
Summer Heat
6.1°F warmer
July avg high 96.7°F vs 90.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baton Rouge, LA | Edinburg, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $217,700 | $159,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,010 | $920 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,155 | $54,139 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.6%⚠ High | 7.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min | 19.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.2% | 9.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 76 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 270⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 279⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.4% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 87.5% ✓ Higher | 79.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | East Baton Rouge Parish | EDINBURG CISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.7°F | 70.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 96.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 67.5" | 26.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,500 ✓ Larger | 100,964 |
| Median Age | 31.9 ✓ Older | 29.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.9% | 53.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | 27.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 9.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baton Rouge's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Edinburg's 85.6 (US average = 100).
Edinburg is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Edinburg leads 15 of 22 categories. Baton Rouge wins 7 and Edinburg wins 15. 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 Baton Rouge to Edinburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($217,700 vs $159,600 median home), income ($50,155 vs $54,139), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baton Rouge, LA and Edinburg, TX are about 513 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.