California
CA • West
Quality of Life Score
50.49
State Comparison
California vs Texas
Texas is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Texas, California has higher incomes, Texas has lower state income tax, and California gets more sunshine.
California
12
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Texas
19
/ 31
metrics won
TX wins Housing
TX wins Quality of Life
TX wins Climate
CA wins Demographics
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
California
winner
vs
Texas
California scores higher on quality of life — 3.28 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Texas is 44.2 points cheaper overall
Texas has the lower cost-of-living index. Texas is at 94.3, while California is at 138.5.
View detailed comparison
Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $16.86 further in Texas
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $109.17 of local buying power in Texas, versus $92.31 in California.
View detailed comparison
Income
California income is 25.6% higher
California has the higher median household income at $84,097, compared with $66,963 in Texas.
View detailed comparison
Jobs
California minimum wage is $9.25 higher
California has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.50/hr, compared with $7.25/hr in Texas.
View detailed comparison
Housing
California homes cost about 2.4x more
Texas has the lower median home value at $294,400, versus $693,700 in California.
View detailed comparison
Taxes
Texas has lower state income tax
Texas has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 0.00%, compared with 13.30% in California.
View detailed comparisonTake-Home Calculator
What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
$
$10k$250k$500k
California
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 13.3%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Texas
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (none)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
—
* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (113.4 for California, 97.2 for Texas). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
California
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: California
- California shows higher median income.
- California has lower property tax rates on average.
- California health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- California health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- California education proxy is higher.
- California has more sunny days.
Cons
- California has a higher overall cost of living.
- California has a higher housing cost index.
- California has higher median home values.
- California has a higher violent crime rate.
- California job growth trend is weaker.
Texas
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Texas
- Texas has a lower overall cost of living.
- Texas has a lower housing cost index.
- Texas has lower median home values.
- Texas has a lower violent crime rate.
- Texas job growth trend is stronger.
Cons
- Texas shows lower median income.
- Texas has higher property tax rates on average.
- Texas health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Texas health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- Texas education proxy is lower.
- Texas has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
CA
|
TX
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Sacramento | Austin |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
39,538,223
|
29,145,505
|
|
Median Income
|
$84,097
|
$66,963
|
|
Cost of Living
|
138.5
|
94.3
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$693,700
|
$294,400
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.70%
|
1.49%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
13.30%
|
None (0%)
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$16.50/hr
|
$7.25/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$5.929/gal
|
$3.824/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
30.29 c/kWh
|
15.69 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
50.49
|
47.21
|
|
Average Temperature
|
59.4°F
|
64.8°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
146 days
|
135 days
|
|
Land Area
|
163,696 sq mi
|
268,596 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
241.5 per sq mi
|
108.5 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
September 9, 1850 (#31)
|
December 29, 1845 (#28)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
18
shown
Saving Money
Texas is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 94.3 vs 138.5 in California. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Gas Price
Texas is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.824/gal in Texas vs $5.929/gal in California. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
See full data
Minimum Wage
California has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.50/hr in California vs $7.25/hr in Texas. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
See full data
Electricity Rates
Texas has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 15.69 c/kWh in Texas vs 30.29 c/kWh in California. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
See full data
Buying a Home
Texas is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 4.40x in Texas vs 8.25x in California. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
See full data
Renting
Texas is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 22.1% in Texas vs 26.5% in California. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
People Also Ask
California vs Texas - Common Questions
Q Is California cheaper to live in than Texas?
Texas has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Texas scores 94.3 versus 138.5 for California - a gap of 44.2 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - California or Texas?
$100 goes further in Texas. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $109.17 in Texas, compared with $92.31 in California.
Q Which state is bigger - California or Texas?
Texas is larger, covering 268,596 sq mi compared with 163,696 sq mi for California - roughly 1.6x the size.
Q Does California or Texas have more people?
California has the larger population at 39,538,223, compared with 29,145,505 in Texas.
Q Which state has higher household income - California or Texas?
California has the higher median household income at $84,097, versus $66,963 in Texas.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - California or Texas?
Texas has no state income tax, while California charges up to 13.30%.
Q Is housing cheaper in California or Texas?
Homes are cheaper in Texas, where the median home value is $294,400, versus $693,700 in California.
Q Which state is more densely populated - California or Texas?
California is more densely populated at 241.5 per sq mi people per sq mi. Texas is more spread out at 108.5 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.