Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Braunfels, TX
VS
Wichita Falls, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 14 of 23 categories
New Braunfels
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7
Median Household Income
$85,827 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
92,993
Wichita Falls
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,584
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
102,482 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
Households earn $30,243 more per year on average
55% less violent crime than Wichita Falls
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 38.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,426/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Wichita Falls
Wichita Falls, TX
Pros
Homes cost $162k less ($128,800 vs $290,800)
Rent averages $477/mo less ($949 vs $1,426)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.9)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than New Braunfels
Cons
Median income trails New Braunfels by $30,243/yr
Property crime (2618.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Median Income
$30,243
$85,827 vs $55,584/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
55% lower
156.4 vs 350.3 per 100k
New Braunfels
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.4% unemployment
Wichita Falls
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 88.9 vs 93.7 (100 = US avg)
Wichita Falls
Median Home Value
$162k less
$128,800 vs $290,800
Wichita Falls
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 97.2°F vs 93.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Braunfels, TX | Wichita Falls, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.7 | 88.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $290,800 | $128,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,426⚠ High | $949 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,827 ✓ Higher | $55,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 14.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 105⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.0% ✓ Higher | 24.2% |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COMAL ISD | WICHITA FALLS ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 54.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.4°F | 97.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.4" | 27.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,993 | 102,482 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 32.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% ✓ Higher | 56.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% ✓ More | 22.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 14.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Braunfels's cost of living index is 93.7 vs Wichita Falls's 88.9 (US average = 100).
Wichita Falls is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 14 of 23 categories. New Braunfels wins 14 and Wichita Falls wins 9. 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 Wichita Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($290,800 vs $128,800 median home), income ($85,827 vs $55,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Braunfels, TX and Wichita Falls, TX are about 292 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.