Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Tracy, CA
🏆 College Station leads 15 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451 ✓ Larger
Tracy
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$111,717 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
79
Population
94,027
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
Homes cost $312k less ($305,800 vs $617,300)
Rent averages $1033/mo less ($1,129 vs $2,162)
Commutes run 27 min shorter each way
43% less violent crime than Tracy
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Tracy by $59,320/yr
Tracy, CA
Pros
Households earn $59,320 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $617,300
Higher rents — median is $2,162/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than College Station
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 107.4 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
43% lower
170.5 vs 301.4 per 100k
College Station
Median Home Value
$312k less
$305,800 vs $617,300
College Station
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
Tracy
Median Income
$59,320
$111,717 vs $52,397/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Tracy, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 107.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $617,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $2,162⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $111,717 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 43.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 11.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 76 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | C- (71) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 24.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 83.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Jefferson Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 93.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 12.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 ✓ Larger | 94,027 |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 34.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 64.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 26.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 9.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Tracy's 107.4 (US average = 100).
College Station is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 15 of 22 categories. College Station wins 15 and Tracy wins 7. 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 Tracy or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $617,300 median home), income ($52,397 vs $111,717), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Tracy, CA are about 1,515 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.