Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Braunfels, TX
VS
Worcester, MA
🏆 New Braunfels leads 15 of 20 categories
New Braunfels
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,827 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41
Population
92,993
Worcester
Massachusetts
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$63,011
Violent Crime Index
4 ✓ Safer
Population
204,191 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
Households earn $22,816 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 pts lower (3.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 32°F
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Worcester
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,426/mo
Worcester, MA
Pros
89% less violent crime than New Braunfels
Violent crime is well below the national average (16.5 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 93°F
Rent averages $114/mo less ($1,312 vs $1,426)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails New Braunfels by $22,816/yr
Cost of living runs 10% higher than New Braunfels
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 3.8%)
Snowy winters — about 73" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 103.8 (100 = US avg)
New Braunfels
Median Income
$22,816
$85,827 vs $63,011/yr
New Braunfels
Median Home Value
$15k less
$290,800 vs $305,600
New Braunfels
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
3.8% vs 6.6% unemployment
New Braunfels
Summer Heat
13.6°F warmer
July avg high 93.4°F vs 79.8°F
Worcester
Violent Crime
89% lower
16.5 vs 156.4 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Braunfels, TX | Worcester, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper | 103.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $290,800 ✓ Lower | $305,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,426⚠ High | $1,312 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,827 ✓ Higher | $63,011 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% ✓ Higher | 9.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 | 4 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.0% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 85.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COMAL ISD | Worcester |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 32.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.4°F ✓ Warmer | 79.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.4" ✓ Drier | 48.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 72.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,993 | 204,191 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% ✓ Higher | 42.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% ✓ More | 19.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 13.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Braunfels's cost of living index is 93.7 vs Worcester's 103.8 (US average = 100).
New Braunfels is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 15 of 20 categories. New Braunfels wins 15 and Worcester wins 5. 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 Worcester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($290,800 vs $305,600 median home), income ($85,827 vs $63,011), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Braunfels, TX and Worcester, MA are about 1,698 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.