Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MO
VS
Wichita Falls, TX
🏆 Wichita Falls leads 12 of 23 categories
Columbia
Missouri
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3
Median Household Income
$60,455 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
126,172 ✓ Larger
Wichita Falls
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,584
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
102,482
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbia, MO
Pros
More college-educated — 55.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $4,871 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 97°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Wichita Falls, TX
Pros
Homes cost $120k less ($128,800 vs $248,600)
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 39°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.9)
Cons
Property crime (2618.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Columbia by $4,871/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Median Income
$4,871
$60,455 vs $55,584/yr
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 89.3 on the COL index
Wichita Falls
Median Home Value
$120k less
$128,800 vs $248,600
Wichita Falls
Summer Heat
8.6°F warmer
July avg high 97.2°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MO | Wichita Falls, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.3 | 88.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $248,600 | $128,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 | $949 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,455 ✓ Higher | $55,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.5 min | 14.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 105⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.3% ✓ Higher | 24.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.4% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLUMBIA 93 | WICHITA FALLS ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 54.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 97.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.8" | 27.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4" | 3.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,172 ✓ Larger | 102,482 |
| Median Age | 28.8 | 32.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.8% | 56.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 14.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 89.3 vs Wichita Falls's 88.9 (US average = 100).
Wichita Falls is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Wichita Falls leads 12 of 23 categories. Columbia wins 11 and Wichita Falls wins 12. 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 Columbia to Wichita Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($248,600 vs $128,800 median home), income ($60,455 vs $55,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MO and Wichita Falls, TX are about 490 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.