Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Francisco, CA
VS
Wichita Falls, TX
🏆 Wichita Falls leads 13 of 23 categories
San Francisco
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
117.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,689 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High
Population
851,036 ✓ Larger
Wichita Falls
Texas
13
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 Francisco, CA
Pros
Households earn $81,105 more per year on average
More college-educated — 59.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 97°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,348,700
Higher rents — median is $2,316/mo
Cost of living runs 28% higher than Wichita Falls
Violent crime (596.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Wichita Falls, TX
Pros
Homes cost $1220k less ($128,800 vs $1,348,700)
Rent averages $1367/mo less ($949 vs $2,316)
41% less violent crime than San Francisco
28% cheaper overall cost of living than San Francisco
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
Cons
Median income trails San Francisco by $81,105/yr
Property crime (2618.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
San Francisco
Median Income
$81,105
$136,689 vs $55,584/yr
Wichita Falls
Cost of Living
28% cheaper
COL index 88.9 vs 117.1 (100 = US avg)
Wichita Falls
Violent Crime
41% lower
350.3 vs 596.5 per 100k
Wichita Falls
Median Home Value
$1220k less
$128,800 vs $1,348,700
Wichita Falls
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
Wichita Falls
Summer Heat
35.4°F warmer
July avg high 97.2°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | Wichita Falls, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 117.1⚠ High | 88.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,348,700⚠ High | $128,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,316⚠ High | $949 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,689 ✓ Higher | $55,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.8 min⚠ High | 14.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.4% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 169⚠ High | 105⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 157⚠ High | 92 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 187⚠ High | 125⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.8% ✓ Higher | 24.2% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Francisco Unified | WICHITA FALLS ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 54.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 97.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.0" | 27.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 851,036 ✓ Larger | 102,482 |
| Median Age | 39.3 ✓ Older | 32.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.6% | 56.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.7% ✓ More | 14.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Francisco's cost of living index is 117.1 vs Wichita Falls's 88.9 (US average = 100).
Wichita Falls is 28% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Wichita Falls leads 13 of 23 categories. San Francisco wins 10 and Wichita Falls wins 13. 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 Francisco to Wichita Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,348,700 vs $128,800 median home), income ($136,689 vs $55,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Francisco, CA and Wichita Falls, TX are about 1,394 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.