Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carlsbad, CA
VS
San Antonio, TX
🏆 Carlsbad leads 14 of 23 categories
Carlsbad
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$134,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
114,745
San Antonio
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
1,445,662 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carlsbad, CA
Pros
Households earn $74,546 more per year on average
66% less violent crime than San Antonio
More college-educated — 59.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (199.1 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,070,500
Higher rents — median is $2,477/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than San Antonio
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Homes cost $873k less ($198,000 vs $1,070,500)
Rent averages $1288/mo less ($1,189 vs $2,477)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Carlsbad
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Carlsbad by $74,546/yr
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Carlsbad
Median Income
$74,546
$134,139 vs $59,593/yr
Carlsbad
Violent Crime
66% lower
199.1 vs 594.1 per 100k
San Antonio
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$873k less
$198,000 vs $1,070,500
San Antonio
Summer Heat
19.8°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carlsbad, CA | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,070,500⚠ High | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,477⚠ High | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $134,139 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.8% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.1% ✓ Higher | 83.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carlsbad Unified | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.0°F ✓ Warmer | 63.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4" ✓ Drier | 34.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,745 | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.2% ✓ Higher | 51.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.8% ✓ More | 12.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carlsbad's cost of living index is 111.5 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carlsbad leads 14 of 23 categories. Carlsbad wins 14 and San Antonio wins 9. 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 Carlsbad to San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,070,500 vs $198,000 median home), income ($134,139 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carlsbad, CA and San Antonio, TX are about 1,134 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.