Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, NC
VS
Houston, TX
🏆 Concord leads 16 of 23 categories
Concord
North Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,480 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
105,335
Houston
Texas
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Concord, NC
Pros
86% less violent crime than Houston
Households earn $23,040 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (159.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 40.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Houston
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Houston, TX
Pros
Homes cost $53k less ($235,000 vs $288,100)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 53°F
Cons
Median income trails Concord by $23,040/yr
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Concord
Median Income
$23,040
$83,480 vs $60,440/yr
Concord
Violent Crime
86% lower
159.0 vs 1148.2 per 100k
Concord
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.6% unemployment
Houston
Median Home Value
$53k less
$235,000 vs $288,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, NC | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 100.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $288,100 | $235,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,259 | $1,235 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,480 ✓ Higher | $60,440 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min ✓ Shorter | 27.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.2% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 46 ✓ Safer | 263⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 302⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 204⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.8% ✓ Higher | 35.2% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cabarrus County Schools | HOUSTON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.8°F | 62.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.0" ✓ Drier | 55.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,335 | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.4% ✓ Higher | 42.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 23.9% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% ✓ More | 11.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Houston's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Concord is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Concord leads 16 of 23 categories. Concord wins 16 and Houston 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 Concord to Houston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($288,100 vs $235,000 median home), income ($83,480 vs $60,440), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, NC and Houston, TX are about 941 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.