Clearwater FL vs New Braunfels TX — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Clearwater, FL

Florida · Population: 117,075

  • Median HH Income$64,440
  • Median Home Price$341,503
  • Unemployment4.7%
  • Bachelor's+32.5%

New Braunfels, TX

Texas · Population: 267

  • Median HH Income$74,643
  • Median Home Price$352,129
  • UnemploymentN/A
  • Bachelor's+1.8%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Clearwater
117,075
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
267
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Clearwater
N/A
New Braunfels
N/A
Median Age
Clearwater
46.4
New Braunfels
39.4
New Braunfels +
Foreign Born
Clearwater
17.0%
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
8.2%
White
Clearwater
70.3%
New Braunfels
84.3%
New Braunfels +
Black
Clearwater
10.2%
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
0.0%
Asian
Clearwater
3.6%
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
0.0%
Hispanic
Clearwater
17.1%
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
15.7%
Spanish at Home
Clearwater
N/A
New Braunfels
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Clearwater
$64,440
New Braunfels
$74,643
New Braunfels +
Per Capita Income
Clearwater
$42,934
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
$21,360
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Clearwater
$65,328
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
$63,758
Unemployment Rate
Clearwater
4.7%
New Braunfels
N/A
Poverty Rate
Clearwater
15.4%
New Braunfels
N/A
Bachelor's Degree+
Clearwater
32.5%
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
1.8%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Clearwater
$341,503
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
$352,129
Homeownership Rate
Clearwater
59.1%
New Braunfels
90.8%
New Braunfels +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Clearwater
324
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
442
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Clearwater
1453
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
2339

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Clearwater
33.3%
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
34.6%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Clearwater
13.5%
New Braunfels
10.6%
New Braunfels +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Clearwater
16.8%
New Braunfels
16.0%
New Braunfels +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Clearwater
14.7%
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
15.2%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Clearwater
15.6%
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
19.1%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Clearwater
14.0%
New Braunfels
11.0%
New Braunfels +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Clearwater
73.8°F
New Braunfels
67.4°F
New Braunfels +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Clearwater
54.7 in
New Braunfels
34.0 in
New Braunfels +

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Clearwater
7.2 µg/m³
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
9.2 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Clearwater
75.0%
Clearwater +
New Braunfels
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Clearwater
25.3 min
New Braunfels
19.6 min
New Braunfels +

Which City is Right for You?

New Braunfels leads in median household income at $74,643, while clearwater offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $341,503. On public safety, Clearwater is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 442 in New Braunfels. Clearwater has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Clearwater scores better with a lower obesity rate of 33.3%.

Compare More Cities

About Clearwater & New Braunfels