New Braunfels vs San Antonio

Which is the better fit for you?

New Braunfels, TX
69
Area Score
Top 16% nationally
San Antonio, TX
57
Area Score
Bottom 46% nationally

Want a third or fourth place beside these? Open them in the shortlist and add more.

New Braunfels receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.

If you are moving

What the difference in prices, rent, homes and weather comes to, using the published figures for the two places. Add your income to see what it would take to keep pace.

Moving from New Braunfels to San Antonio

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Everyday prices
About the same
Regional price level 94.3 against 94.3 (US = 100). Both places sit in the same price region, so the index cannot tell them apart.
Income to keep the same purchasing power
Enter your household income to see it.
A new two-bedroom lease
+$115 a month
HUD benchmarks it at $1,775 in San Antonio against $1,660 in New Braunfels.
The median home
31% less
$235,700 in San Antonio against $339,400 in New Braunfels.
The weather you would swap
Winters 1°F milder
Normal January lows are 41°F in San Antonio against 40°F in New Braunfels; July highs are 95°F against 96°F (summers 1°F cooler).

These are differences between published figures, not a forecast of your budget. Income and sales taxes, commuting, schools, insurance and the job you would actually get are not in them, and a price index describes a metropolitan area, so two places in one metro read the same. HUD’s rent is a benchmark for a new lease, not a listing.

Signals

New Braunfels
San Antonio
Opportunity: New Braunfels is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
70 · Top 24%
vs
56 · Bottom 49%
Growth: New Braunfels is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
70 · Top 15%
vs
52 · Top 46%
Climate: San Antonio is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs
73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience: New Braunfels is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
70 · Top 36%
vs
46 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability: San Antonio is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
68 · Top 46%
vs
69 · Top 44%
Schools: New Braunfels is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
59 · Top 37%
vs
44 · Bottom 43%
Access: San Antonio is the more favorable of the two.
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs
97 · Top 31%
Economic stability: New Braunfels is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
63 · Top 39%
vs
41 · Bottom 22%

Measured values

MetricNew BraunfelsSan AntonioSource period
Population104,6431,479,8352024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income$86,021 — more favorable$65,0562024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income$44,596 — more favorable$33,9292024 ACS 5-Year
Population density2,324/sq mi2,966/sq mi2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value$339,400$235,7002024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent$1,654$1,324 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Market rent, two bedroom$1,660 — more favorable$1,775FY2026
Cost of living index94.394.32023
Homeownership rate65.3%52.2%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment rate4.1% — more favorable4.6%July 2026
Employment change (year over year)−0.4%−0.4%July 2026
Bachelor's degree or higher38.6% — more favorable29.0%2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate7.4% — more favorable16.5%2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units permitted (12 months)1,2954,29512 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents12.4 — more favorable2.912 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)−17.0% — more favorable−28.1%12 months ending July 2026
Average July high96°F95°F1991-2020 Normals
Average January low40°F41°F1991-2020 Normals
Annual precipitation31.3"32.4"1991-2020 Normals
Distance to major airport24 mi6 mi — more favorableNASR current cycle
Average commute28.6 min26.3 min — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age37.134.92024 ACS 5-Year
Public schools265092024-25 school year
Students per teacher15.2 — more favorable15.42024-25 school year
Math proficiency51.5% — more favorable46.9%2018-19 school year
Reading proficiency49.6% — more favorable45.6%2018-19 school year
Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility39.1%63.9%2024-25 school year

A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.

The number of units permitted is not marked because the larger place always permits more; the per-resident rate is the fair comparison.

Physical risk tradeoff

New Braunfels

No hazard reaches elevated exposure.

San Antonio

Elevated or high exposure: hail.

Your best match

Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.

New Braunfels
—
New Braunfels: Your Score
69
Area Score
San Antonio
—
San Antonio: Your Score
57
Area Score

Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.

Full profiles: New Braunfels, TX · San Antonio, TX · How this is calculated: methodology