Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kansas City, MO
VS
New Braunfels, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 15 of 22 categories
Kansas City
Missouri
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$65,256
Violent Crime Index
407⚠ High
Population
505,958 ✓ Larger
New Braunfels
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7
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.
Kansas City, MO
Pros
Homes cost $82k less ($208,900 vs $290,800)
Rent averages $295/mo less ($1,131 vs $1,426)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Smaller class sizes — 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1547.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails New Braunfels by $20,571/yr
Property crime (4676.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 3.8%)
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
90% less violent crime than Kansas City
Households earn $20,571 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%)
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 40°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,426/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Kansas City
Median Home Value
$82k less
$208,900 vs $290,800
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 93.3 on the COL index
New Braunfels
Median Income
$20,571
$85,827 vs $65,256/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
90% lower
156.4 vs 1547.1 per 100k
New Braunfels
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.8% unemployment
New Braunfels
Summer Heat
3.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.4°F vs 90.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kansas City, MO | New Braunfels, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 93.7 |
| Median Home Value | $208,900 ✓ Lower | $290,800 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,131 ✓ Lower | $1,426⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $65,256 | $85,827 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.2% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 333⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 407⚠ High | 41 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 223⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.1% | 38.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | KANSAS CITY 33 | COMAL ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.9°F | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.1" | 35.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 505,958 ✓ Larger | 92,993 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kansas City's cost of living index is 93.3 vs New Braunfels's 93.7 (US average = 100).
Kansas City is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 15 of 22 categories. Kansas City 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 Kansas City to New Braunfels or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($208,900 vs $290,800 median home), income ($65,256 vs $85,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kansas City, MO and New Braunfels, TX are about 682 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.