Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Killeen, TX
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 14 of 22 categories
Huntington Beach
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Killeen
Texas
8
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.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $57,661 more per year on average
61% less violent crime than Killeen
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.5 pts lower (5.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Killeen
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Killeen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $801k less ($175,400 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1234/mo less ($1,084 vs $2,318)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 6 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 Huntington Beach by $57,661/yr
Violent crime (527.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.9% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$57,661
$114,747 vs $57,086/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
61% lower
207.3 vs 527.6 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Unemployment
5.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 10.9% unemployment
Killeen
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 91.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Killeen
Median Home Value
$801k less
$175,400 vs $976,800
Killeen
Summer Heat
16.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.7°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Killeen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 91.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $175,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,084 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $57,086 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 15.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 22.1% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 91.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | KILLEEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 59.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 95.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 36.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 153,708 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 29.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 46.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 29.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 7.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Killeen's 91.8 (US average = 100).
Killeen is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 14 of 22 categories. Huntington Beach wins 14 and Killeen wins 8. 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 Huntington Beach to Killeen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $175,400 median home), income ($114,747 vs $57,086), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Killeen, TX are about 1,195 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.