Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Braunfels, TX
VS
West Palm Beach, FL
🏆 New Braunfels leads 16 of 22 categories
New Braunfels
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
92,993
West Palm Beach
Florida
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,044
Violent Crime Index
152⚠ High
Population
117,588 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
73% less violent crime than West Palm Beach
Households earn $21,783 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (3.8%)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than West Palm Beach
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $188/mo less ($1,426 vs $1,614)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
West Palm Beach, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 62°F
Cons
Median income trails New Braunfels by $21,783/yr
Violent crime (575.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 18% higher than New Braunfels
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Income
$21,783
$85,827 vs $64,044/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
73% lower
156.4 vs 575.8 per 100k
New Braunfels
Median Home Value
$34k less
$290,800 vs $324,800
New Braunfels
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
3.8% vs 6.2% unemployment
New Braunfels
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 93.4°F vs 90.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Braunfels, TX | West Palm Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $290,800 ✓ Lower | $324,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,426⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,614⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,827 ✓ Higher | $64,044 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 11.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 132⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 102⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.0% ✓ Higher | 37.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COMAL ISD | PALM BEACH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.4" ✓ Drier | 61.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,993 | 117,588 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 40.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% ✓ Higher | 49.8% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Braunfels's cost of living index is 93.7 vs West Palm Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 16 of 22 categories. New Braunfels wins 16 and West Palm Beach wins 6. 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 West Palm Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($290,800 vs $324,800 median home), income ($85,827 vs $64,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Braunfels, TX and West Palm Beach, FL are about 1,113 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.