Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
New Braunfels, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 17 of 23 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0
Median Household Income
$74,070
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
New Braunfels
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827 ✓ Higher
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.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails New Braunfels by $11,757/yr
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.8%)
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
79% less violent crime than Charlotte
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $11,757 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.8%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 52°F
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 97.0 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Income
$11,757
$85,827 vs $74,070/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
79% lower
156.4 vs 733.2 per 100k
New Braunfels
Median Home Value
$22k less
$290,800 vs $312,800
New Braunfels
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.7% unemployment
New Braunfels
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 93.4°F vs 90.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | New Braunfels, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $312,800⚠ High | $290,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,426⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 | $85,827 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | 41 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 38.0% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | COMAL ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" | 35.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 92,993 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 13.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs New Braunfels's 93.7 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 17 of 23 categories. Charlotte wins 6 and New Braunfels wins 17. 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 Charlotte to New Braunfels or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $290,800 median home), income ($74,070 vs $85,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and New Braunfels, TX are about 1,075 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.