Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Little Rock, AR
VS
New Braunfels, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 13 of 23 categories
Little Rock
Arkansas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,697
Violent Crime Index
440⚠ High
Population
202,218 ✓ Larger
New Braunfels
Texas
13
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.
Little Rock, AR
Pros
Rent averages $420/mo less ($1,006 vs $1,426)
Homes cost $85k less ($205,800 vs $290,800)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 44.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.1)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than New Braunfels
Cons
Median income trails New Braunfels by $27,130/yr
Violent crime (1672.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5214.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
91% less violent crime than Little Rock
Households earn $27,130 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.8%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 51°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,426/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Little Rock
Key Differences at a Glance
Little Rock
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 89.1 vs 93.7 (100 = US avg)
Little Rock
Median Home Value
$85k less
$205,800 vs $290,800
New Braunfels
Median Income
$27,130
$85,827 vs $58,697/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
91% lower
156.4 vs 1672.0 per 100k
New Braunfels
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Little Rock, AR | New Braunfels, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.1 ✓ Cheaper | 93.7 |
| Median Home Value | $205,800 ✓ Lower | $290,800 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,006 ✓ Lower | $1,426⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,697 | $85,827 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% | 11.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 363⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 440⚠ High | 41 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 248⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.1% ✓ Higher | 38.0% |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT | COMAL ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.5°F | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.7°F | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.4" | 35.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 202,218 ✓ Larger | 92,993 |
| Median Age | 36.6 ✓ Older | 36.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.4% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.0% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Little Rock's cost of living index is 89.1 vs New Braunfels's 93.7 (US average = 100).
Little Rock is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 13 of 23 categories. Little Rock wins 10 and New Braunfels wins 13. 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 Little Rock to New Braunfels or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($205,800 vs $290,800 median home), income ($58,697 vs $85,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Little Rock, AR and New Braunfels, TX are about 483 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.