Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Scottsdale, AZ
🏆 Scottsdale leads 13 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45
Population
120,451
Scottsdale
Arizona
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,197 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
240,537 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
Homes cost $346k less ($305,800 vs $651,800)
Rent averages $639/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,768)
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Scottsdale
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.7)
Cons
Median income trails Scottsdale by $51,800/yr
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.5%)
Scottsdale, AZ
Pros
Households earn $51,800 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (152.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (3.5%)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $651,800
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than College Station
Hot summers — July highs average 99°F
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 104.0 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Median Home Value
$346k less
$305,800 vs $651,800
Scottsdale
Median Income
$51,800
$104,197 vs $52,397/yr
Scottsdale
Violent Crime
11% lower
152.5 vs 170.5 per 100k
Scottsdale
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
3.5% vs 4.7% unemployment
Scottsdale
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 99.4°F vs 95.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Scottsdale, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 104.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $651,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $1,768⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $104,197 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 3.5% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 21.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 26.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 60 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 | 40 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | A- (116) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% | 97.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Scottsdale Unified District (4240) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 63.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F | 99.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 11.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 240,537 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 48.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% ✓ More | 14.3% |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 25.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Scottsdale's 104.0 (US average = 100).
College Station is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Scottsdale leads 13 of 22 categories. College Station wins 9 and Scottsdale wins 13. 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 Scottsdale or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $651,800 median home), income ($52,397 vs $104,197), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Scottsdale, AZ are about 935 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.