Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
El Cajon, CA
🏆 College Station leads 15 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451 ✓ Larger
El Cajon
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,128 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High
Population
105,721
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
Homes cost $288k less ($305,800 vs $593,500)
61% less violent crime than El Cajon
Rent averages $557/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,686)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
21% cheaper overall cost of living than El Cajon
Cons
Median income trails El Cajon by $11,731/yr
El Cajon, CA
Pros
Households earn $11,731 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 95°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 62°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,500
Higher rents — median is $1,686/mo
Cost of living runs 21% higher than College Station
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
61% lower
170.5 vs 434.4 per 100k
College Station
Median Home Value
$288k less
$305,800 vs $593,500
College Station
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
4.7% vs 8.1% unemployment
College Station
Summer Heat
9.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 86.1°F
El Cajon
Median Income
$11,731
$64,128 vs $52,397/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | El Cajon, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $593,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $1,686⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $64,128 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 8.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 71 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | C- (66) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 23.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 84.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Cajon Valley Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 86.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 13.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 ✓ Larger | 105,721 |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 41.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs El Cajon's 111.5 (US average = 100).
College Station is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 15 of 22 categories. College Station wins 15 and El Cajon wins 7. 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 El Cajon or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $593,500 median home), income ($52,397 vs $64,128), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and El Cajon, CA are about 1,222 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.