Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Riverside, CA
🏆 College Station leads 14 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
Riverside
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,448 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
316,076 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
71% less violent crime than Riverside
Homes cost $180k less ($305,800 vs $485,500)
Rent averages $582/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,711)
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Riverside by $31,051/yr
Riverside, CA
Pros
Households earn $31,051 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 62°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $485,500
Higher rents — median is $1,711/mo
Violent crime (589.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 17% higher than College Station
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
71% lower
170.5 vs 589.7 per 100k
College Station
Median Home Value
$180k less
$305,800 vs $485,500
College Station
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.1% unemployment
Riverside
Median Income
$31,051
$83,448 vs $52,397/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Riverside, 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 | $485,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $1,711⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $83,448 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 8.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 24.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 82.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Riverside Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 95.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 10.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 316,076 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 32.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 11.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Riverside's 107.9 (US average = 100).
College Station is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 14 of 22 categories. College Station wins 14 and Riverside wins 8. 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 Riverside or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $485,500 median home), income ($52,397 vs $83,448), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Riverside, CA are about 1,252 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.