Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palmdale, CA
VS
San Antonio, TX
🏆 San Antonio leads 14 of 23 categories
Palmdale
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,414 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
145⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
166,895
San Antonio
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
1,445,662 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Palmdale, CA
Pros
Households earn $18,821 more per year on average
7% less violent crime than San Antonio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $397,500
Higher rents — median is $1,625/mo
Violent crime (551.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 22% higher than San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Homes cost $200k less ($198,000 vs $397,500)
Rent averages $436/mo less ($1,189 vs $1,625)
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Palmdale
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.9%)
More college-educated — 27.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Palmdale by $18,821/yr
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Palmdale
Median Income
$18,821
$78,414 vs $59,593/yr
Palmdale
Violent Crime
7% lower
551.0 vs 594.1 per 100k
Palmdale
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 97.6°F vs 94.0°F
San Antonio
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$200k less
$198,000 vs $397,500
San Antonio
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.9% vs 7.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palmdale, CA | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $397,500⚠ High | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,625⚠ High | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,414 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.4%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 41.3 min⚠ High | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.9% | 9.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 145⚠ High ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (59) | B (97) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.2:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.7% | 27.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.6% | 83.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Palmdale Elementary | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.5°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 97.6°F ✓ Warmer | 94.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 7.3" ✓ Drier | 34.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 166,895 | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.0 | 34.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.5% ✓ Higher | 51.9% |
| Under 18 | 29.0% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palmdale's cost of living index is 115.5 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Antonio leads 14 of 23 categories. Palmdale wins 9 and San Antonio 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 Palmdale to San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($397,500 vs $198,000 median home), income ($78,414 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palmdale, CA and San Antonio, TX are about 1,198 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.