Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fairfield, CA
VS
The Woodlands, TX
🏆 The Woodlands leads 19 of 22 categories
Fairfield
California
3
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,857
Violent Crime Index
131⚠ High
Population
119,420 ✓ Larger
The Woodlands
Texas
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$142,384 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
62 ✓ Safer
Population
118,402
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fairfield, CA
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Median income trails The Woodlands by $43,527/yr
Violent crime (498.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $546,200
Higher rents — median is $2,047/mo
The Woodlands, TX
Pros
53% less violent crime than Fairfield
Households earn $43,527 more per year on average
More college-educated — 66.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (235.4 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $90k less ($456,400 vs $546,200)
Rent averages $324/mo less ($1,723 vs $2,047)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
The Woodlands
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
The Woodlands
Median Income
$43,527
$142,384 vs $98,857/yr
The Woodlands
Violent Crime
53% lower
235.4 vs 498.0 per 100k
The Woodlands
Median Home Value
$90k less
$456,400 vs $546,200
The Woodlands
Summer Heat
4.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fairfield, CA | The Woodlands, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 109.2⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $546,200⚠ High | $456,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,047⚠ High | $1,723⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $98,857 | $142,384 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.3 min⚠ High | 28.2 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 17.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 111⚠ High | 62 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 131⚠ High | 62 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 80 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | A (128) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.8% | 66.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.0% | 97.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fairfield-Suisun Unified | CONROE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.6°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.5" ✓ Drier | 54.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 119,420 ✓ Larger | 118,402 |
| Median Age | 35.8 | 40.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.3% | 72.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | 27.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fairfield's cost of living index is 109.2 vs The Woodlands's 100.2 (US average = 100).
The Woodlands is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, The Woodlands leads 19 of 22 categories. Fairfield wins 3 and The Woodlands wins 19. 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 Fairfield to The Woodlands or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($546,200 vs $456,400 median home), income ($98,857 vs $142,384), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fairfield, CA and The Woodlands, TX are about 1,608 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.