Which is better, Austin, TX or Chicago, IL?

Austin, TX comes out ahead of Chicago, IL on 35 of 44 statistics where one end is better, to 9. Austin, TX leads on Economics. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.

Which has more people, Austin, TX or Chicago, IL?

Austin, TX has a population of 1,011,743 (12th of 477 US cities) and Chicago, IL has 2,727,758 (3rd of 477).

How do Austin, TX and Chicago, IL compare on Median Household Income?

Median Household Income: Austin, TX $93,658 (101st of 434), Chicago, IL $77,902 (178th of 434) among US cities. Austin, TX ranks better.

How do Austin, TX and Chicago, IL compare on Median Home Value (Capped at $2M)?

Median Home Value (Capped at $2M): Austin, TX $555,300 (339th of 434), Chicago, IL $334,100 (228th of 434) among US cities. Chicago, IL ranks better.

Where does Austin, TX beat Chicago, IL most clearly?

Austin, TX ranks far ahead on Price Level (Goods) (Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)): 93.8 vs 107.3; Price Level (Other Services) (Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)): 96.2 vs 100.5; Homes with Broadband Internet (%) (Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)): 93.8% vs 89.1%.

Where does Chicago, IL beat Austin, TX most clearly?

Chicago, IL ranks far ahead on Burglary Rate (per 100K) (Crime Rates by City (FBI)): 227.7 vs 434.0; Median Home Value (Capped at $2M) (Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)): $334,100 vs $555,300; Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501) (Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)): $1,440 vs $1,729.

Austin, TX vs Chicago, IL

Austin, TX comes out ahead of Chicago, IL on 35 of 44 statistics where one end is better, to 9. Austin, TX leads on Economics.

44 statistics with a better end, compared

Each counts once for the place that ranks better. Totals that mostly track population are left out.

Austin, TX

Wins: 35
Avg. percentile: 55
Categories led: 1

Chicago, IL

Wins: 9
Avg. percentile: 36
Categories led: 0

At a glance

Headline statistics, each ranked among all US cities.

Statistic	Austin, TX	Chicago, IL
Population	1,011,743 12th of 477	2,727,758 3rd of 477
Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	$93,658 101st of 434	$77,902 178th of 434
Median Home Value (Capped at $2M)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	$555,300 339th of 434	$334,100 228th of 434
Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	12.0% 151st of 434	16.8% 277th of 434
Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)	98.1 tied 212th of 460	103.6 tied 337th of 460
Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by City (Metro Area, BLS)	$74,580 tied 89th of 460	$73,380 tied 97th of 460
Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	$1,729 312th of 434	$1,440 242nd of 434
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by City (FBI)	418.2 219th of 395	420.4 223rd of 395

By category

Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.

EconomicsAustin, TX · 14 statistics
Crime & SafetyEven · 5 statistics

Biggest differences

The 19 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 239 US cities.

Statistic	Austin, TX	Chicago, IL
Price Level (Goods)Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)	93.8 tied 39th of 460	107.3 tied 429th of 460
Price Level (Other Services)Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)	96.2 tied 66th of 460	100.5 tied 345th of 460
Homes with Broadband Internet (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	93.8% 121st of 434	89.1% 320th of 434
Average Commute (Minutes)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	23.7 253rd of 434	33.1 414th of 434
Burglary Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by City (FBI)	434.0 335th of 395	227.7 207th of 395
Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	12.0% 151st of 434	16.8% 277th of 434
Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)	98.1 tied 212th of 460	103.6 tied 337th of 460
Median Home Value (Capped at $2M)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	$555,300 339th of 434	$334,100 228th of 434
Murder Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by City (FBI)	5.1 252nd of 395	12.7 350th of 395
Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	$93,658 101st of 434	$77,902 178th of 434
Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	$1,729 312th of 434	$1,440 242nd of 434
Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (% of Adults 25+)Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)	59.6% 62nd of 434	44.3% 119th of 434
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by City (FBI)	432.6 332nd of 395	663.9 372nd of 395
Price Level (Housing Rents)Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)	120.4 tied 315th of 460	112.0 tied 272nd of 460
Median Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by City (Metro Area, BLS)	$56,950 tied 82nd of 460	$54,720 tied 113th of 460
Price Level (Utilities)Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)	82.0 tied 73rd of 460	83.6 tied 91st of 460
Property Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by City (FBI)	3,065.7 328th of 395	2,942.4 318th of 395
Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by City (Metro Area, BLS)	$74,580 tied 89th of 460	$73,380 tied 97th of 460
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by City (FBI)	418.2 219th of 395	420.4 223rd of 395

See every statistic they shareSearch and sort all of them, adjust for cost of living or population, or add up to two more places.

Quick answers

Which is better, Austin, TX or Chicago, IL?: Austin, TX comes out ahead of Chicago, IL on 35 of 44 statistics where one end is better, to 9. Austin, TX leads on Economics. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
Which has more people, Austin, TX or Chicago, IL?: Austin, TX has a population of 1,011,743 (12th of 477 US cities) and Chicago, IL has 2,727,758 (3rd of 477).
How do Austin, TX and Chicago, IL compare on Median Household Income?: Median Household Income: Austin, TX $93,658 (101st of 434), Chicago, IL $77,902 (178th of 434) among US cities. Austin, TX ranks better.
How do Austin, TX and Chicago, IL compare on Median Home Value (Capped at $2M)?: Median Home Value (Capped at $2M): Austin, TX $555,300 (339th of 434), Chicago, IL $334,100 (228th of 434) among US cities. Chicago, IL ranks better.
Where does Austin, TX beat Chicago, IL most clearly?: Austin, TX ranks far ahead on Price Level (Goods) (Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)): 93.8 vs 107.3; Price Level (Other Services) (Cost of Living by City (Metro Price Parities)): 96.2 vs 100.5; Homes with Broadband Internet (%) (Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)): 93.8% vs 89.1%.
Where does Chicago, IL beat Austin, TX most clearly?: Chicago, IL ranks far ahead on Burglary Rate (per 100K) (Crime Rates by City (FBI)): 227.7 vs 434.0; Median Home Value (Capped at $2M) (Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)): $334,100 vs $555,300; Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501) (Housing, Income and Commutes by City (Census)): $1,440 vs $1,729.

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