Abilene vs Wichita Falls
Abilene, Texas versus Wichita Falls, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Abilene and Wichita Falls score about the same overall (48 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Abilene | Wichita Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $59k | $56k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $44k |
| Home Value | $162k | $129k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $949 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.60% | 1.82% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.20% | 8.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.06% | 6.93% |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 4.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 46°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 84°F | 85°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.4 in | 27.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.7 in | 3.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 262 days | 262 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 79 days | 69 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 31.2 | 25.4 |
| Air Quality | — | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 46.8 | 54.8 |
| Violent Crime | 2446/100k | 2453/100k |
| Property Crime | 2011/100k | 2824/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 126,356 | 102,482 |
| Median Age | 32.2 | 32.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 1.10 |
| Political Leaning | R+46 | R+42 |
| White (%) | 56.9% | 58.9% |
| Black (%) | 9.9% | 12.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 27.6% | 22.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 2.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.3% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 14 min |
| Walkability | 7.1/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 160 mi | 110 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.8% | 85.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.47 | 12.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Abilene or Wichita Falls more affordable?
- Wichita Falls has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Abilene's $47k and Wichita Falls's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Abilene versus $949 in Wichita Falls.
- Is Abilene or Wichita Falls safer?
- Abilene has the lower violent crime rate. Abilene reports 2446/100k and Wichita Falls reports 2453/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Abilene or Wichita Falls?
- The median home value is $162k in Abilene and $129k in Wichita Falls, so homes are more affordable in Wichita Falls.