Austin, TX vs Santa Clara, CA
Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.
Score Snapshot
No universal winner
Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.
Austin
68.3
#1322 nationally
Santa Clara
65.7
#1617 nationally
Austin leads in cost of living index (129 vs 241). Santa Clara leads in median household income ($165,352 vs $91,461). Santa Clara leads in walk score (58 vs 42).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | Austin, TX | Santa Clara, CA |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 68.3 (#1322) | 65.7 (#1617) |
| Population | 967,862 | 131,062 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $504,148 | $1,680,833 |
| Median Household Income | $91,461 | $165,352 |
| Average Commute | 26.8 min | 23.6 min |
| Walk Score | 42 | 58 |
| Crime Level | Moderate | 5.0 |
| School Rating | 7.2 | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | 129 | 241 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+39.3 | D+40.0 |
D+
68.3 Score
Austin, TX
Live music capital meets tech innovation
Median Home
$504,148
Population
967,862
Crime
Moderate
Schools
B
Southwest
View Austin, TX →
D
65.7 Score
Santa Clara, CA
Mid-size California city with community character
Median Home
$1,680,833
Population
131,062
Crime
Moderate-Low
Walk Score
58
Pacific
View Santa Clara, CA →