Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Braunfels, TX
VS
Plano, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 12 of 23 categories
New Braunfels
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827
Violent Crime Index
41
Population
92,993
Plano
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
Homes cost $122k less ($290,800 vs $412,500)
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $273/mo less ($1,426 vs $1,699)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.8%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Plano
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $19,852/yr
Plano, TX
Pros
Households earn $19,852 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than New Braunfels
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Home Value
$122k less
$290,800 vs $412,500
New Braunfels
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.4% unemployment
Plano
Median Income
$19,852
$105,679 vs $85,827/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Braunfels, TX | Plano, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $290,800 ✓ Lower | $412,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,426⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,699⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,827 | $105,679 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 25.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 22.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 52 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 | 40 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 70 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) | A+ (134) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.0% | 58.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% | 93.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COMAL ISD | PLANO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.4°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.4" ✓ Drier | 40.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,993 | 284,948 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 38.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% ✓ Higher | 56.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% ✓ More | 21.7% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Braunfels's cost of living index is 93.7 vs Plano's 103.3 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 12 of 23 categories. New Braunfels wins 12 and Plano 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 New Braunfels to Plano or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($290,800 vs $412,500 median home), income ($85,827 vs $105,679), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Braunfels, TX and Plano, TX are about 245 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.