CostIndexUSA

College Station, TX vs Santa Rosa, CA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
College Station
91
overall index
$1,700/mo rent
CA
Santa Rosa
107.8
overall index
$2,600/mo rent

College Station is significantly cheaper than Santa Rosa — 18.5% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in College Station, you would need $94,800 in Santa Rosa. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+85.9%
College Station
75.1
Santa Rosa
139.6
🛒 Groceries+12.2%
College Station
93.8
Santa Rosa
105.2
🚗 Transportation+4.2%
College Station
101.1
Santa Rosa
105.3
🏥 Healthcare+4.3%
College Station
91.4
Santa Rosa
95.3
Utilities+83.4%
College Station
84.4
Santa Rosa
154.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in College Station to see what you'd need to earn in Santa Rosa to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Santa Rosa, CA
$94,800
$14,800 more needed in Santa Rosa

Formula: salary × (107.8 ÷ 91) = salary × 1.1846. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

College Station, TX

Median Home Price
$301,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
75.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Santa Rosa, CA

Median Home Price
$770,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,600
Housing Index
139.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
24.7×

Santa Rosa has 85.9% higher housing costs compared to College Station.

Income & Job Market

College Station, TX

Median Household Income
$54,700
Per Capita Income
$31,200
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
120,511
Top Industries
EducationTechnologyHealthcareGovernmentResearch

Santa Rosa, CA

Median Household Income
$100,700
Per Capita Income
$57,400
Unemployment Rate
4%
Population
178,127
Top Industries
HealthcareAgricultureTourismTechnologyRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

College Station, TX
2.7×income-to-rent ratio

63% of income left after rent (median)

Santa Rosa, CA
3.2×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.