Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntsville, AL
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 Huntsville leads 12 of 23 categories
Huntsville
Alabama
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8
Median Household Income
$67,874 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
215,025
Wichita
Kansas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntsville, AL
Pros
10% less violent crime than Wichita
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 45.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $7,162 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 50°F vs 44°F
Cons
Violent crime (483.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Wichita
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $70k less ($166,400 vs $236,300)
Rent averages $105/mo less ($915 vs $1,020)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntsville
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Huntsville by $7,162/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntsville
Median Income
$7,162
$67,874 vs $60,712/yr
Huntsville
Violent Crime
10% lower
483.2 vs 538.6 per 100k
Huntsville
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.7% unemployment
Wichita
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 94.8 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$70k less
$166,400 vs $236,300
Wichita
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 92.6°F vs 88.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntsville, AL | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.8 | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $236,300 | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,020 | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $67,874 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.2 min | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.8% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntsville City | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.1°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" | 35.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.4" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 215,025 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 58.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntsville's cost of living index is 94.8 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntsville leads 12 of 23 categories. Huntsville wins 12 and Wichita wins 11. 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 Huntsville to Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($236,300 vs $166,400 median home), income ($67,874 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntsville, AL and Wichita, KS are about 635 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.