Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Murfreesboro, TN
VS
Oxnard, CA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Murfreesboro
Tennessee
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$70,451
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
153,487
Oxnard
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$90,409 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High
Population
202,279 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Murfreesboro, TN
Pros
Homes cost $260k less ($327,400 vs $587,200)
Rent averages $635/mo less ($1,272 vs $1,907)
30% less violent crime than Oxnard
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.3%)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Oxnard
More college-educated — 40.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Oxnard by $19,958/yr
Oxnard, CA
Pros
Households earn $19,958 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 48°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $587,200
Higher rents — median is $1,907/mo
Violent crime (596.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Murfreesboro
Key Differences at a Glance
Murfreesboro
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Murfreesboro
Violent Crime
30% lower
420.0 vs 596.4 per 100k
Murfreesboro
Median Home Value
$260k less
$327,400 vs $587,200
Murfreesboro
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.9% unemployment
Murfreesboro
Summer Heat
16.3°F warmer
July avg high 89.2°F vs 72.9°F
Oxnard
Median Income
$19,958
$90,409 vs $70,451/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Murfreesboro, TN | Oxnard, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $327,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $587,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,272 ✓ Lower | $1,907⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $70,451 | $90,409 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 5.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 105⚠ High ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 157⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 89 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | C- (68) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 19.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.5% ✓ Higher | 19.2% |
| High School or Higher | 93.9% ✓ Higher | 69.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Rutherford County | Oxnard |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.9°F | 65.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.2°F ✓ Warmer | 72.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 12.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 153,487 | 202,279 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.5 | 33.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.1% | 54.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | 26.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 10.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Murfreesboro's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Oxnard's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Murfreesboro is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Murfreesboro wins 11 and Oxnard wins 11. 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 Murfreesboro to Oxnard or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($327,400 vs $587,200 median home), income ($70,451 vs $90,409), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Murfreesboro, TN and Oxnard, CA are about 1,850 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.