New Braunfels vs San Marcos
New Braunfels, Texas versus San Marcos, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
New Braunfels edges out San Marcos on overall objective livability (47 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | New Braunfels | San Marcos |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $86k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $51k | $54k |
| Home Value | $291k | $248k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.49% | 1.68% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.20% | 8.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.74% | 11.49% |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | 6.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 52°F | 52°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 85°F | 85°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.4 in | 36.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 195 days | 195 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 94 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 87.7 | 58.4 |
| Air Quality | 32 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 35.0 | 43.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1093/100k | 2211/100k |
| Property Crime | 1421/100k | 2614/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 92,993 | 67,143 |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 25.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.52 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | R+25 | D+11 |
| White (%) | 58.2% | 44.9% |
| Black (%) | 2.1% | 5.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 36.6% | 41.9% |
| Asian (%) | 0.7% | 2.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.4% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 8.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 23 mi | 28 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.2% | 84.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 16.35 | 23.09 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
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 New Braunfels or San Marcos more affordable?
- New Braunfels has the lower cost of living: its index is $51k, compared with New Braunfels's $51k and San Marcos's $54k. Median rent is $1k in New Braunfels versus $1k in San Marcos.
- Is New Braunfels or San Marcos safer?
- New Braunfels has the lower violent crime rate. New Braunfels reports 1093/100k and San Marcos reports 2211/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in New Braunfels or San Marcos?
- The median home value is $291k in New Braunfels and $248k in San Marcos, so homes are more affordable in San Marcos.