Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lancaster, CA
VS
Round Rock, TX
🏆 Round Rock leads 14 of 22 categories
Lancaster
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,367
Violent Crime Index
220⚠ High
Population
171,465 ✓ Larger
Round Rock
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$91,888 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
120,465
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lancaster, CA
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Violent crime (834.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Round Rock by $20,521/yr
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Round Rock
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Round Rock, TX
Pros
84% less violent crime than Lancaster
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.7 pts lower (3.8%)
Households earn $20,521 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (130.7 vs 380/100k)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Lancaster
More college-educated — 42.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Round Rock
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Round Rock
Median Income
$20,521
$91,888 vs $71,367/yr
Round Rock
Violent Crime
84% lower
130.7 vs 834.7 per 100k
Round Rock
Median Home Value
$31k less
$337,500 vs $368,800
Round Rock
Unemployment
3.7 pp lower
3.8% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lancaster, CA | Round Rock, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $368,800⚠ High | $337,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,576⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,586⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,367 | $91,888 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.9 min⚠ High | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.6% | 19.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 58 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 220⚠ High | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (63) | A- (115) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.6:1 | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.4% | 42.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lancaster Elementary | ROUND ROCK ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.7°F | 59.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 97.6°F ✓ Warmer | 95.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 6.8" ✓ Drier | 36.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,465 ✓ Larger | 120,465 |
| Median Age | 33.6 | 35.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.1% ✓ Higher | 55.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% ✓ More | 25.0% |
| Over 65 | 11.2% ✓ More | 10.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lancaster's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Round Rock's 97.6 (US average = 100).
Round Rock is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Round Rock leads 14 of 22 categories. Lancaster wins 8 and Round Rock wins 14. 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 Lancaster to Round Rock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($368,800 vs $337,500 median home), income ($71,367 vs $91,888), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lancaster, CA and Round Rock, TX are about 1,226 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.