Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Murfreesboro, TN
VS
Rio Rancho, NM
🏆 Rio Rancho leads 14 of 22 categories
Murfreesboro
Tennessee
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$70,451
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
153,487 ✓ Larger
Rio Rancho
New Mexico
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,978 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
84 ✓ Safer
Population
104,351
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Murfreesboro, TN
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 40.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $85/mo less ($1,272 vs $1,357)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $327,400
Median income trails Rio Rancho by $8,527/yr
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho, NM
Pros
24% less violent crime than Murfreesboro
Homes cost $81k less ($246,700 vs $327,400)
Households earn $8,527 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.0)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Murfreesboro
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.3%)
Higher rents — median is $1,357/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Murfreesboro
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.5% unemployment
Rio Rancho
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 93.0 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Rio Rancho
Median Income
$8,527
$78,978 vs $70,451/yr
Rio Rancho
Violent Crime
24% lower
318.2 vs 420.0 per 100k
Rio Rancho
Median Home Value
$81k less
$246,700 vs $327,400
Rio Rancho
Summer Heat
6.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.5°F vs 89.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Murfreesboro, TN | Rio Rancho, NM |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 93.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $327,400⚠ High | $246,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,272 ✓ Lower | $1,357⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $70,451 | $78,978 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min ✓ Shorter | 28.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 12.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 105⚠ High | 76 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 64 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 13.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.5% ✓ Higher | 33.2% |
| High School or Higher | 93.9% | 94.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Rutherford County | SANDOVAL ACADEMY OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.9°F | 49.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.2°F | 95.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.2" ✓ Less | 9.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 153,487 ✓ Larger | 104,351 |
| Median Age | 31.5 | 39.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.1% | 81.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | 24.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Murfreesboro's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Rio Rancho's 93.0 (US average = 100).
Rio Rancho is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Rio Rancho leads 14 of 22 categories. Murfreesboro wins 8 and Rio Rancho 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 Murfreesboro to Rio Rancho or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($327,400 vs $246,700 median home), income ($70,451 vs $78,978), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Murfreesboro, TN and Rio Rancho, NM are about 1,138 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.