Big Spring vs Odessa
Big Spring, Texas versus Odessa, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Big Spring edges out Odessa on overall objective livability (50 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Big Spring | Odessa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $71k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $52k |
| Home Value | $128k | $194k |
| Monthly Rent | $995 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.26% | 1.34% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.20% | 8.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.17% | 6.34% |
| Unemployment | 6.8% | 6.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 45°F | 45°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 84°F | 84°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.6 in | 12.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.0 in | 0.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 301 days | 301 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 74 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 44.9 | 38.5 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 38.5 | 34.3 |
| Violent Crime | 2708/100k | 2704/100k |
| Property Crime | 2162/100k | 2071/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,949 | 113,353 |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 30.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.48 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.34 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | R+59 | R+48 |
| White (%) | 39.8% | 28.5% |
| Black (%) | 6.9% | 6.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 49.5% | 62.0% |
| Asian (%) | 1.3% | 1.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.6% | 1.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 8.8/20 | 8.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 258 mi | 237 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.2% | 86.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 9.63 | 15.44 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Big Spring or Odessa more affordable?
- Big Spring has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Big Spring's $44k and Odessa's $52k. Median rent is $995 in Big Spring versus $1k in Odessa.
- Is Big Spring or Odessa safer?
- Odessa has the lower violent crime rate. Big Spring reports 2708/100k and Odessa reports 2704/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Big Spring or Odessa?
- The median home value is $128k in Big Spring and $194k in Odessa, so homes are more affordable in Big Spring.