Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Denton, TX
VS
Jacksonville, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Denton
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,921 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
142,262
Jacksonville
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,138
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Denton, TX
Pros
67% less violent crime than Jacksonville
Violent crime is well below the national average (204.2 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $7,783 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL
Pros
Homes cost $53k less ($243,000 vs $296,100)
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 56°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Denton
Cons
Violent crime (623.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2494.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Denton by $7,783/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Denton
Median Income
$7,783
$71,921 vs $64,138/yr
Denton
Violent Crime
67% lower
204.2 vs 623.8 per 100k
Denton
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 91.8°F
Jacksonville
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 99.2 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Jacksonville
Median Home Value
$53k less
$243,000 vs $296,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Denton, TX | Jacksonville, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 99.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $296,100 | $243,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,264 ✓ Lower | $1,281 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,921 ✓ Higher | $64,138 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.7 min | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.6% | 11.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 65 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 54 ✓ Safer | 164⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 119⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.0% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 90.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DENTON ISD | DUVAL |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.8°F | 65.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 91.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.4" ✓ Drier | 53.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,262 | 950,203 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.4 | 36.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 57.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.2% | 14.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Denton's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Jacksonville's 99.2 (US average = 100).
Jacksonville is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Denton wins 11 and Jacksonville wins 11. 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 Denton to Jacksonville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($296,100 vs $243,000 median home), income ($71,921 vs $64,138), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Denton, TX and Jacksonville, FL are about 930 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.