Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Wichita Falls, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
Wichita Falls
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,584
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
102,482
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Households earn $19,792 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 55°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 97°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Wichita Falls
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Wichita Falls, TX
Pros
Homes cost $289k less ($128,800 vs $417,600)
Rent averages $678/mo less ($949 vs $1,627)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.9)
Cons
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $19,792/yr
Property crime (2618.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$19,792
$75,376 vs $55,584/yr
Wichita Falls
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 88.9 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Wichita Falls
Median Home Value
$289k less
$128,800 vs $417,600
Wichita Falls
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
Wichita Falls
Summer Heat
6.7°F warmer
July avg high 97.2°F vs 90.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Wichita Falls, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 88.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $128,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $949 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 ✓ Higher | $55,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 14.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 105⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 92 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 24.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | WICHITA FALLS ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 54.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 97.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 27.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 102,482 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 32.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 56.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 14.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Wichita Falls's 88.9 (US average = 100).
Wichita Falls is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Fort Lauderdale wins 10 and Wichita Falls wins 10. 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 Wichita Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $128,800 median home), income ($75,376 vs $55,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Wichita Falls, TX are about 1,221 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.