Head-to-Head · City Comparison
The Woodlands, TX
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 The Woodlands leads 15 of 23 categories
The Woodlands
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$142,384 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
62 ✓ Safer
Population
118,402
Wichita
Kansas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
The Woodlands, TX
Pros
Households earn $81,672 more per year on average
56% less violent crime than Wichita
More college-educated — 66.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (235.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 44°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $456,400
Higher rents — median is $1,723/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Wichita
Longer commutes — 28.2 min average each way
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $290k less ($166,400 vs $456,400)
Rent averages $808/mo less ($915 vs $1,723)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than The Woodlands
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Cons
Median income trails The Woodlands by $81,672/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
The Woodlands
Median Income
$81,672
$142,384 vs $60,712/yr
The Woodlands
Violent Crime
56% lower
235.4 vs 538.6 per 100k
Wichita
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$290k less
$166,400 vs $456,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | The Woodlands, TX | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $456,400⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,723⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $142,384 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.2 min⚠ High | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.6% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 62 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 62 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (128) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.3% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 97.3% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | CONROE ISD | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 92.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.4" | 35.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 118,402 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.7 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.6% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 27.7% ✓ More | 24.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.7% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
The Woodlands's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, The Woodlands leads 15 of 23 categories. The Woodlands wins 15 and Wichita 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 The Woodlands to Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($456,400 vs $166,400 median home), income ($142,384 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
The Woodlands, TX and Wichita, KS are about 530 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.