Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Houston, TX
VS
San Antonio, TX
🏆 San Antonio leads 16 of 22 categories
Houston
Texas
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$60,440 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
San Antonio
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,445,662
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Houston, TX
Pros
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 7% higher than San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Pros
48% less violent crime than Houston
Homes cost $37k less ($198,000 vs $235,000)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.9%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Houston
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Houston
Median Income
$847
$60,440 vs $59,593/yr
San Antonio
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Violent Crime
48% lower
594.1 vs 1148.2 per 100k
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$37k less
$198,000 vs $235,000
San Antonio
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.9% vs 6.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Houston, TX | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $235,000 | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,440 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.4 min | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 263⚠ High | 182⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 302⚠ High | 156⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 204⚠ High ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 79.6% | 83.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HOUSTON ISD | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.8°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.2°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.4" | 34.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger | 1,445,662 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 34.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.0% | 51.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Houston's cost of living index is 100.2 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, San Antonio leads 16 of 22 categories. Houston wins 6 and San Antonio wins 16. 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 Houston to San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($235,000 vs $198,000 median home), income ($60,440 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Houston, TX and San Antonio, TX are about 190 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.