Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Mateo, CA
VS
Wichita Falls, TX
🏆 San Mateo leads 14 of 23 categories
San Mateo
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,152 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
104,165 ✓ Larger
Wichita Falls
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,584
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
102,482
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Mateo, CA
Pros
Households earn $93,568 more per year on average
31% less violent crime than Wichita Falls
More college-educated — 58.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (243.2 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 97°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,508,900
Higher rents — median is $2,971/mo
Cost of living runs 29% higher than Wichita Falls
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Wichita Falls, TX
Pros
Homes cost $1380k less ($128,800 vs $1,508,900)
Rent averages $2022/mo less ($949 vs $2,971)
29% cheaper overall cost of living than San Mateo
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.9)
Smaller class sizes — 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Mateo by $93,568/yr
Property crime (2618.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
San Mateo
Median Income
$93,568
$149,152 vs $55,584/yr
San Mateo
Violent Crime
31% lower
243.2 vs 350.3 per 100k
Wichita Falls
Cost of Living
29% cheaper
COL index 88.9 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Wichita Falls
Median Home Value
$1380k less
$128,800 vs $1,508,900
Wichita Falls
Summer Heat
24.6°F warmer
July avg high 97.2°F vs 72.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Mateo, CA | Wichita Falls, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 88.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,508,900⚠ High | $128,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,971⚠ High | $949 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,152 ✓ Higher | $55,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 14.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.9% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 ✓ Safer | 105⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 64 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.2% ✓ Higher | 24.2% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Mateo-Foster City | WICHITA FALLS ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 54.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 72.6°F | 97.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.3" ✓ Drier | 27.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 104,165 ✓ Larger | 102,482 |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 32.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 56.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.4% ✓ More | 14.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Mateo's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Wichita Falls's 88.9 (US average = 100).
Wichita Falls is 29% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Mateo leads 14 of 23 categories. San Mateo wins 14 and Wichita Falls wins 9. 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 Mateo to Wichita Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,508,900 vs $128,800 median home), income ($149,152 vs $55,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Mateo, CA and Wichita Falls, TX are about 1,354 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.