Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Corona, CA
🏆 College Station leads 13 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
Corona
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$103,727 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
66
Population
158,346 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
Homes cost $318k less ($305,800 vs $624,200)
Rent averages $891/mo less ($1,129 vs $2,020)
32% less violent crime than Corona
Commutes run 18 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Corona by $51,330/yr
Corona, CA
Pros
Households earn $51,330 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (249.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 62°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,200
Higher rents — median is $2,020/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than College Station
Longer commutes — 35.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
32% lower
170.5 vs 249.4 per 100k
College Station
Median Home Value
$318k less
$305,800 vs $624,200
Corona
Median Income
$51,330
$103,727 vs $52,397/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Corona, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $624,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $2,020⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $103,727 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 35.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 66 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 82 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 30.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Corona-Norco Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 69.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 93.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 11.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 158,346 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 35.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 63.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 24.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 11.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Corona's 107.9 (US average = 100).
College Station is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 13 of 22 categories. College Station wins 13 and Corona 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 College Station to Corona or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $624,200 median home), income ($52,397 vs $103,727), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Corona, CA are about 1,261 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.