Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fullerton, CA
VS
New Braunfels, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 17 of 22 categories
Fullerton
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,279 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High
Population
142,280 ✓ Larger
New Braunfels
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
92,993
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fullerton, CA
Pros
Households earn $13,452 more per year on average
More college-educated — 44.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 93°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 62°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $791,000
Higher rents — median is $1,989/mo
Violent crime (455.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 22% higher than New Braunfels
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
Homes cost $500k less ($290,800 vs $791,000)
66% less violent crime than Fullerton
Rent averages $563/mo less ($1,426 vs $1,989)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (3.8%)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Fullerton
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Fullerton by $13,452/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fullerton
Median Income
$13,452
$99,279 vs $85,827/yr
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
66% lower
156.4 vs 455.3 per 100k
New Braunfels
Median Home Value
$500k less
$290,800 vs $791,000
New Braunfels
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
3.8% vs 6.9% unemployment
New Braunfels
Summer Heat
9.0°F warmer
July avg high 93.4°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fullerton, CA | New Braunfels, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $791,000⚠ High | $290,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,989⚠ High | $1,426⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,279 ✓ Higher | $85,827 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High | 26.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 11.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 120⚠ High | 41 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 25.3:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.0% ✓ Higher | 38.0% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fullerton Elementary | COMAL ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 61.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.9" ✓ Drier | 35.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,280 ✓ Larger | 92,993 |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 13.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fullerton's cost of living index is 115.5 vs New Braunfels's 93.7 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 17 of 22 categories. Fullerton wins 5 and New Braunfels wins 17. 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 Fullerton to New Braunfels or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($791,000 vs $290,800 median home), income ($99,279 vs $85,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fullerton, CA and New Braunfels, TX are about 1,197 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.