Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Berkeley, CA
VS
New Braunfels, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 14 of 22 categories
Berkeley
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,716 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
168⚠ High
Population
121,385 ✓ Larger
New Braunfels
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
92,993
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Berkeley, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 73.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $18,889 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,280,300
Higher rents — median is $2,067/mo
Violent crime (638.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 25% higher than New Braunfels
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
Homes cost $990k less ($290,800 vs $1,280,300)
76% less violent crime than Berkeley
Rent averages $641/mo less ($1,426 vs $2,067)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Berkeley
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (3.8%)
Cons
Median income trails Berkeley by $18,889/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Berkeley
Median Income
$18,889
$104,716 vs $85,827/yr
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
76% lower
156.4 vs 638.8 per 100k
New Braunfels
Median Home Value
$990k less
$290,800 vs $1,280,300
New Braunfels
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.5% unemployment
New Braunfels
Summer Heat
19.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.4°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Berkeley, CA | New Braunfels, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,280,300⚠ High | $290,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,067⚠ High | $1,426⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,716 ✓ Higher | $85,827 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 26.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 200⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 168⚠ High | 41 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 249⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.8% ✓ Higher | 38.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Berkeley Unified | COMAL ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.9°F | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.1" ✓ Drier | 35.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,385 ✓ Larger | 92,993 |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.3% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Berkeley's cost of living index is 118.2 vs New Braunfels's 93.7 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 14 of 22 categories. Berkeley wins 8 and New Braunfels wins 14. 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 Berkeley to New Braunfels or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,280,300 vs $290,800 median home), income ($104,716 vs $85,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Berkeley, CA and New Braunfels, TX are about 1,494 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.