Jonesboro AR vs San Marcos TX — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

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

Jonesboro, AR

Arkansas · Population: N/A

  • Median HH IncomeN/A
  • Median Home Price$225,577
  • UnemploymentN/A
  • Bachelor's+N/A

San Marcos, TX

Texas · Population: 99,507

  • Median HH Income$64,146
  • Median Home Price$313,452
  • Unemployment3.2%
  • Bachelor's+24.9%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
99,507
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
N/A
Median Age
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
35.2
Foreign Born
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
5.8%
White
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
66.6%
Black
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
4.3%
Asian
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
1.4%
Hispanic
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
42.2%
Spanish at Home
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
$64,146
Per Capita Income
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
$33,835
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Jonesboro
$53,714
San Marcos
$63,758
San Marcos +
Unemployment Rate
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
3.2%
Poverty Rate
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
11.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
24.9%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Jonesboro
$225,577
Jonesboro +
San Marcos
$313,452
Homeownership Rate
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
63.3%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Jonesboro
660
San Marcos
442
San Marcos +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Jonesboro
2507
San Marcos
2339
San Marcos +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Jonesboro
39.2%
San Marcos
33.6%
San Marcos +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Jonesboro
11.4%
San Marcos
7.9%
San Marcos +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Jonesboro
20.5%
Jonesboro +
San Marcos
22.3%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Jonesboro
11.6%
Jonesboro +
San Marcos
19.7%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Jonesboro
15.1%
Jonesboro +
San Marcos
19.7%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Jonesboro
15.7%
San Marcos
11.0%
San Marcos +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Jonesboro
59.2°F
Jonesboro +
San Marcos
68.5°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Jonesboro
48.2 in
San Marcos
35.7 in
San Marcos +

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Jonesboro
9.5 µg/m³
San Marcos
9.2 µg/m³
San Marcos +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Jonesboro
55.0%
San Marcos
55.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Jonesboro
N/A
San Marcos
19.0 min

Which City is Right for You?

Jonesboro offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $225,577. On public safety, San Marcos is safer with a violent crime rate of 442 per 100,000 residents, compared to 660 in Jonesboro. San Marcos has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 9.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, San Marcos scores better with a lower obesity rate of 33.6%.

Compare More Cities

About Jonesboro & San Marcos