Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Huntington Beach, 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
Huntington Beach
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
Homes cost $671k less ($305,800 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1189/mo less ($1,129 vs $2,318)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
18% less violent crime than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $62,350/yr
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $62,350 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 95°F
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 62°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than College Station
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
18% lower
170.5 vs 207.3 per 100k
College Station
Median Home Value
$671k less
$305,800 vs $976,800
College Station
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
College Station
Summer Heat
16.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 78.9°F
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$62,350
$114,747 vs $52,397/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Huntington Beach, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $976,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $2,318⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $114,747 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 29.7 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 16.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 71 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 55 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 95 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 46.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 93.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Huntington Beach City Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 78.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 11.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 197,481 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 43.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 55.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 17.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 18.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Huntington Beach's 115.5 (US average = 100).
College Station is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 13 of 22 categories. College Station wins 13 and Huntington Beach 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 Huntington Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $976,800 median home), income ($52,397 vs $114,747), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Huntington Beach, CA are about 1,286 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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