Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carlsbad, CA
VS
South Bend, IN
🏆 Carlsbad leads 15 of 23 categories
Carlsbad
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$134,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
114,745 ✓ Larger
South Bend
Indiana
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,056
Violent Crime Index
254⚠ High
Population
103,084
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carlsbad, CA
Pros
Households earn $85,083 more per year on average
79% less violent crime than South Bend
More college-educated — 59.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (199.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 32°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 83°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,070,500
Higher rents — median is $2,477/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than South Bend
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
South Bend, IN
Pros
Homes cost $957k less ($113,800 vs $1,070,500)
Rent averages $1542/mo less ($935 vs $2,477)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Carlsbad
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.5%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cons
Median income trails Carlsbad by $85,083/yr
Violent crime (965.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 65" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Carlsbad
Median Income
$85,083
$134,139 vs $49,056/yr
Carlsbad
Violent Crime
79% lower
199.1 vs 965.0 per 100k
South Bend
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
South Bend
Median Home Value
$957k less
$113,800 vs $1,070,500
South Bend
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.0% unemployment
South Bend
Summer Heat
8.8°F warmer
July avg high 83.0°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carlsbad, CA | South Bend, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,070,500⚠ High | $113,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,477⚠ High | $935 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $134,139 ✓ Higher | $49,056 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.8% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 191⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 254⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 28.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.1% ✓ Higher | 87.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carlsbad Unified | South Bend Community School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.0°F ✓ Warmer | 31.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 83.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4" ✓ Drier | 40.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 64.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,745 ✓ Larger | 103,084 |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.2% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 26.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.8% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carlsbad's cost of living index is 111.5 vs South Bend's 91.4 (US average = 100).
South Bend is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carlsbad leads 15 of 23 categories. Carlsbad wins 15 and South Bend 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 Carlsbad to South Bend or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,070,500 vs $113,800 median home), income ($134,139 vs $49,056), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carlsbad, CA and South Bend, IN are about 1,790 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.