Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Murrieta, CA
VS
San Antonio, TX
🏆 Murrieta leads 12 of 23 categories
Murrieta
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,925 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
111,899
San Antonio
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
1,445,662 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Murrieta, CA
Pros
Households earn $47,332 more per year on average
69% less violent crime than San Antonio
Violent crime is well below the national average (183.7 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $567,700
Higher rents — median is $2,150/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than San Antonio
Higher unemployment (6.7% vs 5.9%)
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Homes cost $370k less ($198,000 vs $567,700)
Rent averages $961/mo less ($1,189 vs $2,150)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Murrieta
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.9%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Cons
Median income trails Murrieta by $47,332/yr
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Murrieta
Median Income
$47,332
$106,925 vs $59,593/yr
Murrieta
Violent Crime
69% lower
183.7 vs 594.1 per 100k
San Antonio
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$370k less
$198,000 vs $567,700
San Antonio
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.9% vs 6.7% unemployment
San Antonio
Summer Heat
6.8°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 87.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Murrieta, CA | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $567,700⚠ High | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,150⚠ High | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $106,925 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.7%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.0 min⚠ High | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.2% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 47 ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | B (97) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.4:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 92.5% ✓ Higher | 83.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Murrieta Valley Unified | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.5°F ✓ Warmer | 63.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" ✓ Drier | 34.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 111,899 | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.5% ✓ Higher | 51.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Murrieta's cost of living index is 107.9 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Murrieta leads 12 of 23 categories. Murrieta wins 12 and San Antonio 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 Murrieta to San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($567,700 vs $198,000 median home), income ($106,925 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Murrieta, CA and San Antonio, TX are about 1,134 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.