Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
West Palm Beach, FL
🏆 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
West Palm Beach
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,044 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
152⚠ High
Population
117,588
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
70% less violent crime than West Palm Beach
Rent averages $485/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,614)
21% cheaper overall cost of living than West Palm Beach
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails West Palm Beach by $11,647/yr
West Palm Beach, FL
Pros
Households earn $11,647 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 62°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 95°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,614/mo
Violent crime (575.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 21% higher than College Station
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
70% lower
170.5 vs 575.8 per 100k
College Station
Median Home Value
$19k less
$305,800 vs $324,800
College Station
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.2% unemployment
College Station
Summer Heat
5.4°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 90.0°F
West Palm Beach
Median Income
$11,647
$64,044 vs $52,397/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | West Palm Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $324,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $1,614⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $64,044 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 23.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 11.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 132⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 102⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 37.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | PALM BEACH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" ✓ Drier | 61.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 ✓ Larger | 117,588 |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 40.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 49.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 17.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs West Palm Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
College Station is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 15 of 22 categories. College Station wins 15 and West Palm Beach 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 West Palm Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $324,800 median home), income ($52,397 vs $64,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and West Palm Beach, FL are about 1,014 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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