Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hayward, CA
VS
Killeen, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Hayward
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,371 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
126⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
160,602 ✓ Larger
Killeen
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,086
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High
Population
153,708
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hayward, CA
Pros
Households earn $48,285 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.2 pts lower (5.7%)
10% less violent crime than Killeen
Cooler summers — July highs near 75°F vs 96°F
More college-educated — 31.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $775,700
Higher rents — median is $2,260/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Killeen
Violent crime (477.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Killeen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $600k less ($175,400 vs $775,700)
Rent averages $1176/mo less ($1,084 vs $2,260)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Hayward
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.8)
Smaller class sizes — 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Hayward by $48,285/yr
Violent crime (527.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.9% vs 5.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Hayward
Median Income
$48,285
$105,371 vs $57,086/yr
Hayward
Violent Crime
10% lower
477.1 vs 527.6 per 100k
Hayward
Unemployment
5.2 pp lower
5.7% vs 10.9% unemployment
Killeen
Cost of Living
26% cheaper
COL index 91.8 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Killeen
Median Home Value
$600k less
$175,400 vs $775,700
Killeen
Summer Heat
21.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.7°F vs 74.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hayward, CA | Killeen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 91.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $775,700⚠ High | $175,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,260⚠ High | $1,084 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,371 ✓ Higher | $57,086 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 34.2 min⚠ High | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 145⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 174⚠ High | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (88) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 | 15.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.5% ✓ Higher | 22.1% |
| High School or Higher | 82.6% | 91.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hayward Unified | KILLEEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.3°F | 59.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 74.7°F | 95.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.0" ✓ Drier | 36.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 160,602 ✓ Larger | 153,708 |
| Median Age | 37.6 ✓ Older | 29.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.5% ✓ Higher | 46.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 29.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 7.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hayward's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Killeen's 91.8 (US average = 100).
Killeen is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Hayward wins 11 and Killeen wins 11. 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 Hayward to Killeen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($775,700 vs $175,400 median home), income ($105,371 vs $57,086), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hayward, CA and Killeen, TX are about 1,457 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.