Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakewood, CO
VS
New Braunfels, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 16 of 23 categories
Lakewood
Colorado
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,786
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High
Population
156,149 ✓ Larger
New Braunfels
Texas
16
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.
Lakewood, CO
Pros
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $494,100
Violent crime (787.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,665/mo
Property crime (5093.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
Homes cost $203k less ($290,800 vs $494,100)
80% less violent crime than Lakewood
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $239/mo less ($1,426 vs $1,665)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.8%)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakewood
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Income
$3,041
$85,827 vs $82,786/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
80% lower
156.4 vs 787.2 per 100k
New Braunfels
Median Home Value
$203k less
$290,800 vs $494,100
New Braunfels
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.4% unemployment
New Braunfels
Summer Heat
7.5°F warmer
July avg high 93.4°F vs 85.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakewood, CO | New Braunfels, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $494,100⚠ High | $290,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $1,426⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,786 | $85,827 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 26.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 221⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 207⚠ High | 41 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 243⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 38.0% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 | COMAL ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.9°F | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.8" ✓ Drier | 35.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 58.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 156,149 ✓ Larger | 92,993 |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 36.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.0% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.4% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakewood's cost of living index is 105.5 vs New Braunfels's 93.7 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 16 of 23 categories. Lakewood wins 7 and New Braunfels wins 16. 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 Lakewood to New Braunfels or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,100 vs $290,800 median home), income ($82,786 vs $85,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakewood, CO and New Braunfels, TX are about 797 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.