City comparison
Yes. Austin's crime index is 162 versus 242 in Orlando, and its violent crime index is 130 versus 241, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Austin and 2022 FBI data for Orlando.
Austin is cheaper. Median rent is $1,729 a month versus $1,747 in Orlando.
Safety is where Austin and Orlando split most clearly. Austin scores 80 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,729 in Austin and $1,747 in Orlando.
Austin is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. Orlando makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Austin is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Austin has rougher pockets and Orlando has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Austin and Orlando are 991 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,729 a month in Austin to $1,747 a month in Orlando, up $18 a month (1%).
Median household income goes from $93,658 in Austin to $72,336 in Orlando, down $21,322 (23%).
The crime index goes from 162 in Austin to 242 in Orlando, up 80 points (49%).
The move
Orlando and Austin are 991 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,747 a month in Orlando to $1,729 a month in Austin, down $18 a month (1%).
Median household income goes from $72,336 in Orlando to $93,658 in Austin, up $21,322 (29%).
The crime index goes from 242 in Orlando to 162 in Austin, down 80 points (33%).
Austin, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Orlando, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Austin and Orlando? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
1% cheaper
Austin rent is 1% cheaper than Orlando
Austin
Winner$1,729/mo
Orlando
$1,747/mo
Typical rent runs $1,729 a month in Austin versus $1,747 in Orlando, so Austin is 1% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $18, or $216 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Austin? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
29% higher
Austin's median income is 29% higher than Orlando
Austin
Winner$93,658
Orlando
$72,336
Median household income is $93,658 in Austin versus $72,336 in Orlando, so typical pay runs 29% higher in Austin (about $21,322 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Austin is the stronger labor market on paper. Orlando can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
33% lower crime
Austin's crime index is 33% lower than Orlando
Austin
Winner162 (100 = avg)
Orlando
242 (100 = avg)
Austin's crime index is 162 versus 242 in Orlando (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 33% lower in Austin. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Austin is the easier city. Orlando can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Austin and Orlando are about even on typical weather.
Austin
68°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Orlando
71°F avg · 78°F highs · comfort 100/100
Austin averages about 68°F (76°F highs); Orlando averages about 71°F (78°F highs). Austin sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Orlando sits near 71°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Austin is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 1% cheaper here at about $1,729 a month. Choose Austin if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Austin is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 29% higher here ($93,658). Start with Austin if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Austin is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 33% lower than Orlando (162 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Orlando
On these five categories Austin takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Orlando because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Orlando only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Bottom line
Orlando carries the heavier crime signal on this page (33/100 safety vs 45/100 in Austin). That 12-point spread matters more than the $18 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Median income is $93,658 in Austin versus $72,336 in Orlando — with rent matched, the paycheck gap matters more.
Austin clears the bar on safety in this dataset. Orlando deserves a serious look only when you already know the Orlando block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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Next steps
Quotes and listings for Austin when you're ready to act.
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Austin and Orlando, plus other cities in TX and FL.
