Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
New Braunfels, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 12 of 19 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
New Braunfels
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41
Population
92,993
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 62°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Cost of living runs 18% higher than New Braunfels
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Median income trails New Braunfels by $10,451/yr
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
Homes cost $127k less ($290,800 vs $417,600)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (3.8%)
Rent averages $201/mo less ($1,426 vs $1,627)
Households earn $10,451 more per year on average
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Income
$10,451
$85,827 vs $75,376/yr
New Braunfels
Median Home Value
$127k less
$290,800 vs $417,600
New Braunfels
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | New Braunfels, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $290,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,426⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 | $85,827 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 49 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 41 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 61 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 38.0% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | COMAL ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 61.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 35.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 92,993 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 36.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs New Braunfels's 93.7 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 12 of 19 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 7 and New Braunfels 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 Fort Lauderdale to New Braunfels or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $290,800 median home), income ($75,376 vs $85,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and New Braunfels, TX are about 1,123 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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