Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Richardson, TX
VS
San Antonio, TX
🏆 Richardson leads 13 of 23 categories
Richardson
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,362 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
118,063
San Antonio
Texas
10
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.
Richardson, TX
Pros
75% less violent crime than San Antonio
Households earn $34,769 more per year on average
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.0%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $379,800
Higher rents — median is $1,725/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Homes cost $182k less ($198,000 vs $379,800)
Rent averages $536/mo less ($1,189 vs $1,725)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Richardson
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 56°F
Cons
Median income trails Richardson by $34,769/yr
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Richardson
Median Income
$34,769
$94,362 vs $59,593/yr
Richardson
Violent Crime
75% lower
146.7 vs 594.1 per 100k
Richardson
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.9% unemployment
San Antonio
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$182k less
$198,000 vs $379,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Richardson, TX | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $379,800⚠ High | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,725⚠ High | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,362 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 24.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.7% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 58 ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (133) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.5% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 92.5% ✓ Higher | 83.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | RICHARDSON ISD | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 94.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.1" | 34.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.7" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 118,063 | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 51.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.6% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Richardson's cost of living index is 103.3 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Richardson leads 13 of 23 categories. Richardson wins 13 and San Antonio wins 10. 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 Richardson to San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($379,800 vs $198,000 median home), income ($94,362 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Richardson, TX and San Antonio, TX are about 265 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.