Kansas City KS 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)

Kansas City, KS

Kansas · Population: 154,776

  • Median HH Income$59,183
  • Median Home Price$202,558
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+20.2%

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
Kansas City
154,776
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
267
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Kansas City
N/A
New Braunfels
N/A
Median Age
Kansas City
34.0
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
39.4
Foreign Born
Kansas City
18.6%
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
8.2%
White
Kansas City
44.0%
New Braunfels
84.3%
New Braunfels +
Black
Kansas City
20.4%
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
0.0%
Asian
Kansas City
5.3%
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
0.0%
Hispanic
Kansas City
35.0%
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
15.7%
Spanish at Home
Kansas City
N/A
New Braunfels
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Kansas City
$59,183
New Braunfels
$74,643
New Braunfels +
Per Capita Income
Kansas City
$28,059
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
$21,360
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Kansas City
$61,860
New Braunfels
$63,758
New Braunfels +
Unemployment Rate
Kansas City
5.5%
New Braunfels
N/A
Poverty Rate
Kansas City
17.9%
New Braunfels
N/A
Bachelor's Degree+
Kansas City
20.2%
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
1.8%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Kansas City
$202,558
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
$352,129
Homeownership Rate
Kansas City
60.4%
New Braunfels
90.8%
New Braunfels +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Kansas City
449
New Braunfels
442
New Braunfels +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Kansas City
2174
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
2339

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Kansas City
41.2%
New Braunfels
34.6%
New Braunfels +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Kansas City
14.6%
New Braunfels
10.6%
New Braunfels +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Kansas City
17.6%
New Braunfels
16.0%
New Braunfels +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Kansas City
18.4%
New Braunfels
15.2%
New Braunfels +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Kansas City
15.3%
Kansas City +
New Braunfels
19.1%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Kansas City
18.3%
New Braunfels
11.0%
New Braunfels +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Kansas City
N/A
New Braunfels
67.4°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Kansas City
38.1 in
New Braunfels
34.0 in
New Braunfels +

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Kansas City
23.7 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 kansas City offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $202,558. On public safety, New Braunfels is safer with a violent crime rate of 442 per 100,000 residents, compared to 449 in Kansas City. Kansas City has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, New Braunfels scores better with a lower obesity rate of 34.6%.

Compare More Cities

About Kansas City & New Braunfels