Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Richardson, TX
🏆 Richardson leads 14 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Richardson
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$94,362
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
118,063
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $20,385 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 94°F
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 56°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Richardson
Richardson, TX
Pros
Homes cost $597k less ($379,800 vs $976,800)
29% less violent crime than Huntington Beach
Rent averages $593/mo less ($1,725 vs $2,318)
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.7 vs 380/100k)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $20,385/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$20,385
$114,747 vs $94,362/yr
Richardson
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Richardson
Violent Crime
29% lower
146.7 vs 207.3 per 100k
Richardson
Median Home Value
$597k less
$379,800 vs $976,800
Richardson
Summer Heat
15.4°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Richardson, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $379,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,725⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $94,362 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% | 19.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 | 58 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 87 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | A+ (133) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 92.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | RICHARDSON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 40.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 118,063 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 51.6% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 21.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Richardson's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Richardson is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Richardson leads 14 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 9 and Richardson wins 14. 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 Richardson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $379,800 median home), income ($114,747 vs $94,362), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Richardson, TX are about 1,228 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.