Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Denton, TX
VS
Tyler, TX
🏆 Denton leads 14 of 23 categories
Denton
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,921 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
142,262 ✓ Larger
Tyler
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,056
Violent Crime Index
103⚠ High
Population
106,440
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Denton, TX
Pros
48% less violent crime than Tyler
Violent crime is well below the national average (204.2 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $8,865 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.8%)
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 11% higher than Tyler
Tyler, TX
Pros
Homes cost $91k less ($205,200 vs $296,100)
Rent averages $151/mo less ($1,113 vs $1,264)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Denton
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.4)
Cons
Median income trails Denton by $8,865/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Denton
Median Income
$8,865
$71,921 vs $63,056/yr
Denton
Violent Crime
48% lower
204.2 vs 391.2 per 100k
Denton
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.3% unemployment
Tyler
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 92.4 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Tyler
Median Home Value
$91k less
$205,200 vs $296,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Denton, TX | Tyler, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 92.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $296,100 | $205,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,264 | $1,113 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,921 ✓ Higher | $63,056 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.7 min | 20.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.6% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 65 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 54 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.0% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DENTON ISD | TYLER ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.8°F | 57.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 93.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.4" ✓ Drier | 47.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 0.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,262 ✓ Larger | 106,440 |
| Median Age | 30.4 | 34.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 54.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.2% | 16.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Denton's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Tyler's 92.4 (US average = 100).
Tyler is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Denton leads 14 of 23 categories. Denton wins 14 and Tyler wins 9. 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 Tyler or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($296,100 vs $205,200 median home), income ($71,921 vs $63,056), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Denton, TX and Tyler, TX are about 123 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.