Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clearwater, FL
VS
New Braunfels, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 14 of 22 categories
Clearwater
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
116,984 ✓ Larger
New Braunfels
Texas
14
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.
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 62°F
Cons
Median income trails New Braunfels by $26,469/yr
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.8%)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than New Braunfels
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
60% less violent crime than Clearwater
Households earn $26,469 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.8%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Clearwater
More college-educated — 38.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Income
$26,469
$85,827 vs $59,358/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
60% lower
156.4 vs 395.5 per 100k
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 | Clearwater, FL | New Braunfels, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $287,900 ✓ Lower | $290,800 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,426⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,358 | $85,827 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 104⚠ High | 41 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% | 38.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | COMAL ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer | 61.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1" | 35.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,984 ✓ Larger | 92,993 |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 36.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.8% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 23.5% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103.4 vs New Braunfels's 93.7 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 14 of 22 categories. Clearwater 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 Clearwater to New Braunfels or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($287,900 vs $290,800 median home), income ($59,358 vs $85,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clearwater, FL and New Braunfels, TX are about 936 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.