Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 14 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45
Population
120,451
Surprise
Arizona
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$87,756 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
29 ✓ Safer
Population
145,591 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
Rent averages $693/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,822)
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $47k less ($305,800 vs $352,600)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Surprise
Cons
Median income trails Surprise by $35,359/yr
Surprise, AZ
Pros
Households earn $35,359 more per year on average
36% less violent crime than College Station
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,822/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $352,600
Cost of living runs 11% higher than College Station
Longer commutes — 30.5 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 101.2 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Median Home Value
$47k less
$305,800 vs $352,600
Surprise
Median Income
$35,359
$87,756 vs $52,397/yr
Surprise
Violent Crime
36% lower
109.1 vs 170.5 per 100k
Surprise
Summer Heat
9.2°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 95.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 101.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $352,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $1,822⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $87,756 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 14.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 93.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 145,591 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
College Station is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Surprise leads 14 of 22 categories. College Station wins 8 and Surprise wins 14. 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 Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $352,600 median home), income ($52,397 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Surprise, AZ are about 968 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.