New Braunfels TX vs San Jose CA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

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

New Braunfels, TX

Texas · Population: 267

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

San Jose, CA

California · Population: 990,054

  • Median HH Income$141,565
  • Median Home Price$1,452,609
  • Unemployment4.7%
  • Bachelor's+46.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
New Braunfels
267
San Jose
990,054
San Jose +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
New Braunfels
N/A
San Jose
N/A
Median Age
New Braunfels
39.4
San Jose
38.1
San Jose +
Foreign Born
New Braunfels
8.2%
San Jose
41.6%
San Jose +
White
New Braunfels
84.3%
New Braunfels +
San Jose
29.0%
Black
New Braunfels
0.0%
San Jose
2.9%
San Jose +
Asian
New Braunfels
0.0%
San Jose
38.6%
San Jose +
Hispanic
New Braunfels
15.7%
San Jose
30.9%
San Jose +
Spanish at Home
New Braunfels
N/A
San Jose
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
New Braunfels
$74,643
San Jose
$141,565
San Jose +
Per Capita Income
New Braunfels
$21,360
San Jose
$63,253
San Jose +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
New Braunfels
$63,758
San Jose
$77,230
San Jose +
Unemployment Rate
New Braunfels
N/A
San Jose
4.7%
Poverty Rate
New Braunfels
N/A
San Jose
7.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
New Braunfels
1.8%
San Jose
46.5%
San Jose +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
New Braunfels
$352,129
New Braunfels +
San Jose
$1,452,609
Homeownership Rate
New Braunfels
90.8%
New Braunfels +
San Jose
56.0%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
New Braunfels
442
New Braunfels +
San Jose
503
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
New Braunfels
2339
New Braunfels +
San Jose
2388

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
New Braunfels
34.6%
San Jose
23.7%
San Jose +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
New Braunfels
10.6%
New Braunfels +
San Jose
11.1%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
New Braunfels
16.0%
San Jose
14.9%
San Jose +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
New Braunfels
15.2%
San Jose
9.1%
San Jose +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
New Braunfels
19.1%
San Jose
13.0%
San Jose +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
New Braunfels
11.0%
San Jose
9.4%
San Jose +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
New Braunfels
67.4°F
San Jose
61.5°F
San Jose +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
New Braunfels
34.0 in
San Jose
14.9 in
San Jose +

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
New Braunfels
19.6 min
New Braunfels +
San Jose
30.4 min

Which City is Right for You?

San Jose leads in median household income at $141,565, while new Braunfels offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $352,129. On public safety, New Braunfels is safer with a violent crime rate of 442 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in San Jose. San Jose has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, San Jose scores better with a lower obesity rate of 23.7%.

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About New Braunfels & San Jose