Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jacksonville, FL
VS
New Braunfels, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 15 of 22 categories
Jacksonville
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2
Median Household Income
$64,138
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
New Braunfels
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
92,993
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Jacksonville, FL
Pros
Homes cost $48k less ($243,000 vs $290,800)
Rent averages $145/mo less ($1,281 vs $1,426)
Cons
Median income trails New Braunfels by $21,689/yr
Violent crime (623.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2494.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 3.8%)
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
75% less violent crime than Jacksonville
Households earn $21,689 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 38.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,426/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Jacksonville
Median Home Value
$48k less
$243,000 vs $290,800
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 99.2 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Income
$21,689
$85,827 vs $64,138/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
75% lower
156.4 vs 623.8 per 100k
New Braunfels
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | New Braunfels, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 99.2 | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $243,000 ✓ Lower | $290,800 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,281 ✓ Lower | $1,426⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,138 | $85,827 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 11.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 146⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 164⚠ High | 41 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.0% | 38.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DUVAL | COMAL ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.5°F ✓ Warmer | 61.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1" | 35.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 950,203 ✓ Larger | 92,993 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 36.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.0% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.4% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jacksonville's cost of living index is 99.2 vs New Braunfels's 93.7 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 15 of 22 categories. Jacksonville wins 7 and New Braunfels wins 15. 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 Jacksonville to New Braunfels or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,000 vs $290,800 median home), income ($64,138 vs $85,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jacksonville, FL and New Braunfels, TX are about 984 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.