Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, OH
VS
San Antonio, TX
🏆 San Antonio leads 12 of 22 categories
Columbus
Ohio
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.5
Median Household Income
$62,994 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
902,449
San Antonio
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
1,445,662 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbus, OH
Pros
27% less violent crime than San Antonio
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.2%)
More college-educated — 38.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.5)
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 94°F
Households earn $3,401 more per year on average
Cons
Property crime (2653.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 37°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Cons
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 5.2%)
Median income trails Columbus by $3,401/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbus
Median Income
$3,401
$62,994 vs $59,593/yr
Columbus
Violent Crime
27% lower
434.9 vs 594.1 per 100k
Columbus
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.2% vs 5.9% unemployment
San Antonio
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 94.5 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$15k less
$198,000 vs $212,500
San Antonio
Summer Heat
9.0°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 85.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, OH | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.5 | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $212,500 | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,161 ✓ Lower | $1,189 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,994 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter | 24.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 13.8% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.5:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.3% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 90.3% ✓ Higher | 83.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Columbus City Schools District | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.5°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.0°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.2" | 34.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 902,449 | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.7 | 34.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.7% | 51.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 94.5 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, San Antonio leads 12 of 22 categories. Columbus wins 10 and San Antonio 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 Columbus to San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($212,500 vs $198,000 median home), income ($62,994 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, OH and San Antonio, TX are about 1,140 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.