Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Midland, TX
VS
New Braunfels, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 13 of 23 categories
Midland
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8
Median Household Income
$90,448 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
96
Population
132,490 ✓ Larger
New Braunfels
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827
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.
Midland, TX
Pros
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.2%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.8)
Households earn $4,621 more per year on average
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
57% less violent crime than Midland
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 38.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Midland by $4,621/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Midland
Median Income
$4,621
$90,448 vs $85,827/yr
Midland
Median Home Value
$10k less
$280,700 vs $290,800
Midland
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.2% vs 3.8% unemployment
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 94.8 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
57% lower
156.4 vs 364.9 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Midland, TX | New Braunfels, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.8 | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $280,700 ✓ Lower | $290,800 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,426⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $90,448 ✓ Higher | $85,827 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 3.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 5.6% | 11.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 88 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 41 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 77 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (83) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.8:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% | 38.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.9% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MIDLAND ISD | COMAL ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.3°F | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer | 93.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7" ✓ Drier | 35.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.9" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 132,490 ✓ Larger | 92,993 |
| Median Age | 31.4 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.9% ✓ Higher | 63.8% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% ✓ More | 24.0% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 13.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Midland's cost of living index is 94.8 vs New Braunfels's 93.7 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 13 of 23 categories. Midland 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 Midland to New Braunfels or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($280,700 vs $290,800 median home), income ($90,448 vs $85,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Midland, TX and New Braunfels, TX are about 286 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.