Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Lubbock, TX
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 13 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481
Lubbock
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,734
Violent Crime Index
216⚠ High
Population
258,190 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $56,013 more per year on average
75% less violent crime than Lubbock
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 93°F
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 55°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Lubbock
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Lubbock, TX
Pros
Homes cost $795k less ($181,600 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1225/mo less ($1,093 vs $2,318)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.6%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.9)
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $56,013/yr
Violent crime (821.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2628.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$56,013
$114,747 vs $58,734/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
75% lower
207.3 vs 821.0 per 100k
Lubbock
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lubbock
Median Home Value
$795k less
$181,600 vs $976,800
Lubbock
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.4% unemployment
Lubbock
Summer Heat
13.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.7°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Lubbock, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 90.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $181,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,093 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $58,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 16.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 5.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 34.2% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 88.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | LUBBOCK ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 55.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 92.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 20.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 7.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 | 258,190 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 30.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 51.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 12.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lubbock's 90.9 (US average = 100).
Lubbock is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 13 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 13 and Lubbock 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 Huntington Beach to Lubbock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $181,600 median home), income ($114,747 vs $58,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Lubbock, TX are about 926 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.