Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Braunfels, TX
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 New Braunfels leads 14 of 22 categories
New Braunfels
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
92,993
St. Paul
Minnesota
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$69,919
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
308,806 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
75% less violent crime than St. Paul
Households earn $15,908 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 24°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (3.8%)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Paul
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,426/mo
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Rent averages $252/mo less ($1,174 vs $1,426)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Homes cost $26k less ($264,900 vs $290,800)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 93°F
More college-educated — 42.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (617.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails New Braunfels by $15,908/yr
Property crime (2834.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 11% higher than New Braunfels
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Income
$15,908
$85,827 vs $69,919/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
75% lower
156.4 vs 617.7 per 100k
New Braunfels
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.0% unemployment
New Braunfels
Summer Heat
10.8°F warmer
July avg high 93.4°F vs 82.6°F
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$26k less
$264,900 vs $290,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Braunfels, TX | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper | 104.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $290,800 | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,426⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,827 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 15.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.0% | 42.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 88.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COMAL ISD | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer | 82.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.4" | 29.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,993 | 308,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% ✓ Higher | 53.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | 24.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Braunfels's cost of living index is 93.7 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 14 of 22 categories. New Braunfels wins 14 and St. Paul 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 St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($290,800 vs $264,900 median home), income ($85,827 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Braunfels, TX and St. Paul, MN are about 1,088 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.