Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Braunfels, TX
VS
Phoenix, AZ
🏆 New Braunfels leads 15 of 23 categories
New Braunfels
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
92,993
Phoenix
Arizona
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4
Median Household Income
$72,092
Violent Crime Index
210⚠ High
Population
1,609,456 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
80% less violent crime than Phoenix
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $13,735 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (3.8%)
Homes cost $49k less ($290,800 vs $340,200)
More college-educated — 38.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,426/mo
Phoenix, AZ
Pros
Rent averages $104/mo less ($1,322 vs $1,426)
Cons
Violent crime (799.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails New Braunfels by $13,735/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $340,200
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 98.4 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Income
$13,735
$85,827 vs $72,092/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
80% lower
156.4 vs 799.6 per 100k
New Braunfels
Median Home Value
$49k less
$290,800 vs $340,200
New Braunfels
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.2% unemployment
Phoenix
Summer Heat
10.6°F warmer
July avg high 104.0°F vs 93.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Braunfels, TX | Phoenix, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper | 98.4 |
| Median Home Value | $290,800 ✓ Lower | $340,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,426⚠ High | $1,322 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,827 ✓ Higher | $72,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 25.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 14.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 171⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 ✓ Safer | 210⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.0% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 83.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COMAL ISD | Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 65.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.4°F | 104.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.4" | 8.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,993 | 1,609,456 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% ✓ Higher | 56.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Braunfels's cost of living index is 93.7 vs Phoenix's 98.4 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 15 of 23 categories. New Braunfels wins 15 and Phoenix wins 8. 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 New Braunfels to Phoenix or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($290,800 vs $340,200 median home), income ($85,827 vs $72,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Braunfels, TX and Phoenix, AZ are about 864 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.