Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Braunfels, TX
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 14 of 22 categories
New Braunfels
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827
Violent Crime Index
41
Population
92,993
Surprise
Arizona
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$87,756 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
29 ✓ Safer
Population
145,591 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
Rent averages $396/mo less ($1,426 vs $1,822)
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $62k less ($290,800 vs $352,600)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (3.8%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 38.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Surprise, AZ
Pros
30% less violent crime than New Braunfels
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,822/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $352,600
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.8%)
Longer commutes — 30.5 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 101.2 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Home Value
$62k less
$290,800 vs $352,600
New Braunfels
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.6% unemployment
Surprise
Median Income
$1,929
$87,756 vs $85,827/yr
Surprise
Violent Crime
30% lower
109.1 vs 156.4 per 100k
Surprise
Summer Heat
11.2°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 93.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Braunfels, TX | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper | 101.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $290,800 ✓ Lower | $352,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,426⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,822⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,827 | $87,756 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 14.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.0% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% | 93.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COMAL ISD | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.4°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.4" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,993 | 145,591 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Braunfels's cost of living index is 93.7 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Surprise leads 14 of 22 categories. New Braunfels wins 8 and Surprise 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 New Braunfels to Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($290,800 vs $352,600 median home), income ($85,827 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Braunfels, TX and Surprise, AZ are about 886 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.