Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Diego, CA
VS
Wichita Falls, TX
🏆 San Diego leads 12 of 23 categories
San Diego
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,657 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
1,383,987 ✓ Larger
Wichita Falls
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,584
Violent Crime Index
92 ✓ Safer
Population
102,482
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Diego, CA
Pros
Households earn $43,073 more per year on average
More college-educated — 48.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 97°F
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 55°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $783,300
Higher rents — median is $2,080/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Wichita Falls
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Wichita Falls, TX
Pros
Homes cost $655k less ($128,800 vs $783,300)
Rent averages $1131/mo less ($949 vs $2,080)
15% less violent crime than San Diego
23% cheaper overall cost of living than San Diego
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (4.4%)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails San Diego by $43,073/yr
Property crime (2618.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
San Diego
Median Income
$43,073
$98,657 vs $55,584/yr
Wichita Falls
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 88.9 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Wichita Falls
Violent Crime
15% lower
350.3 vs 412.2 per 100k
Wichita Falls
Median Home Value
$655k less
$128,800 vs $783,300
Wichita Falls
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.1% unemployment
Wichita Falls
Summer Heat
17.4°F warmer
July avg high 97.2°F vs 79.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Diego, CA | Wichita Falls, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 88.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $783,300⚠ High | $128,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,080⚠ High | $949 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $98,657 ✓ Higher | $55,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.0 min | 14.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 ✓ Safer | 105⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 92 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 80 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.0:1 | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.7% ✓ Higher | 24.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Diego Unified | WICHITA FALLS ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.3°F ✓ Warmer | 54.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 79.8°F | 97.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.0" ✓ Drier | 27.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,383,987 ✓ Larger | 102,482 |
| Median Age | 35.8 ✓ Older | 32.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.6% | 56.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 14.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Diego's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Wichita Falls's 88.9 (US average = 100).
Wichita Falls is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Diego leads 12 of 23 categories. San Diego wins 12 and Wichita Falls wins 11. 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 San Diego to Wichita Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($783,300 vs $128,800 median home), income ($98,657 vs $55,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Diego, CA and Wichita Falls, TX are about 1,075 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.