Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
San Antonio, 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
San Antonio
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
1,445,662 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $55,154 more per year on average
65% less violent crime than San Antonio
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.4%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than San Antonio
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Homes cost $779k less ($198,000 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1129/mo less ($1,189 vs $2,318)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $55,154/yr
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
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$55,154
$114,747 vs $59,593/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
65% lower
207.3 vs 594.1 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 5.9% unemployment
San Antonio
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$779k less
$198,000 vs $976,800
San Antonio
Summer Heat
15.1°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 83.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 63.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 34.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 51.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 12.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 14 of 22 categories. Huntington Beach wins 14 and San Antonio 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 San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $198,000 median home), income ($114,747 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and San Antonio, TX are about 1,181 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.