Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Lubbock, TX
🏆 Lubbock leads 12 of 23 categories
College Station
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
Lubbock
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.9
Median Household Income
$58,734 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
216⚠ High
Population
258,190 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
79% less violent crime than Lubbock
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.7)
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 55°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $305,800
Median income trails Lubbock by $6,337/yr
Lubbock, TX
Pros
Homes cost $124k less ($181,600 vs $305,800)
Households earn $6,337 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.9)
Cons
Violent crime (821.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2628.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Violent Crime
79% lower
170.5 vs 821.0 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 90.7 on the COL index
Lubbock
Median Income
$6,337
$58,734 vs $52,397/yr
Lubbock
Median Home Value
$124k less
$181,600 vs $305,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Lubbock, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 90.9 |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High | $181,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 | $1,093 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $58,734 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min | 16.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 5.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B+ (108) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 34.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 88.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | LUBBOCK ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 55.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 92.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 20.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 7.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 258,190 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 30.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 51.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 12.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Lubbock's 90.9 (US average = 100).
College Station is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lubbock leads 12 of 23 categories. College Station wins 11 and Lubbock wins 12. 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 Lubbock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $181,600 median home), income ($52,397 vs $58,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Lubbock, TX are about 387 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.