Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Marcos, CA
VS
Tyler, TX
🏆 San Marcos leads 15 of 23 categories
San Marcos
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,413 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59 ✓ Safer
Population
94,360
Tyler
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,056
Violent Crime Index
103⚠ High
Population
106,440 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Marcos, CA
Pros
Households earn $36,357 more per year on average
43% less violent crime than Tyler
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.2%)
More college-educated — 41.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 58°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than Tyler
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Tyler, TX
Pros
Homes cost $524k less ($205,200 vs $728,800)
Rent averages $951/mo less ($1,113 vs $2,064)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than San Marcos
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.4)
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Marcos by $36,357/yr
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
San Marcos
Median Income
$36,357
$99,413 vs $63,056/yr
San Marcos
Violent Crime
43% lower
222.4 vs 391.2 per 100k
San Marcos
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.2% vs 5.3% unemployment
Tyler
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 92.4 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Tyler
Median Home Value
$524k less
$205,200 vs $728,800
Tyler
Summer Heat
5.9°F warmer
July avg high 93.1°F vs 87.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Marcos, CA | Tyler, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 92.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $728,800⚠ High | $205,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,064⚠ High | $1,113 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,413 ✓ Higher | $63,056 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.7 min | 20.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.2% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.5:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41.5% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Marcos Unified | TYLER ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 57.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F | 93.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" ✓ Drier | 47.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,360 | 106,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.9% ✓ Higher | 54.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% ✓ More | 22.9% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 16.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Marcos's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Tyler's 92.4 (US average = 100).
Tyler is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Marcos leads 15 of 23 categories. San Marcos wins 15 and Tyler wins 8. 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 Marcos to Tyler or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($728,800 vs $205,200 median home), income ($99,413 vs $63,056), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Marcos, CA and Tyler, TX are about 1,270 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.