Austin, TX vs Watsonville, 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
Watsonville
63.3
#1786 nationally
Watsonville leads in walk score (69 vs 42). Austin leads in median household income ($91,461 vs $72,295). Austin leads in cost of living index (129 vs 152).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | Austin, TX | Watsonville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 68.3 (#1322) | 63.3 (#1786) |
| Population | 967,862 | 50,867 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $504,148 | $828,739 |
| Median Household Income | $91,461 | $72,295 |
| Average Commute | 26.8 min | 26.3 min |
| Walk Score | 42 | 69 |
| Crime Level | Moderate | 10.9 |
| School Rating | 7.2 | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | 129 | 152 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+39.3 | D+54.4 |
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
63.3 Score
Watsonville, CA
California community balancing growth and livability
Median Home
$828,739
Population
50,867
Crime
Moderate-High
Walk Score
69
Pacific
View Watsonville, CA →