Metro Life Score

Corpus Christi, TX

Below-median composite Life Score — grade B-, 49th percentile of the national corpus.

49.7
Life Score / 100
B-
Grade (curved)
#196
of 387 metros
49%
composite percentile
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Data updated August 2026

The verdict

Corpus Christi is below-median composite Life Score — #196 of 387 (49.7/100, grade B-, 49th percentile). Carried by environment at 85/100; held back most by wages at 33/100.

49th
composite percentile
#196
of 387 peers
58th
cost dimension percentile
33rd
wages dimension percentile

Life Score shape · MID · ENVIRO-LED · signature wages

Corpus Christi: wage lag defines the peer set

Corpus Christi is a MID-band metro where wages sit at only the 33rd percentile (LOW) while cost is MID (58th) and composite #196. Wages at 33/100 is the clearest drag; Environment (85/100) is the offset. According to PlainCompare's federal Life Score corpus ranking, Corpus Christi, TX ranks #196 of 387 metros by composite Life Score (highest = #1) and #164 of 387 by cost-of-living dimension score (highest = #1). Methodology.

BEA RPP 92.7 (rent-RPP 84.9). BLS median salary $61,494, 183,520 jobs (Fast Food and Counter Workers, Home Health and Personal Care Aides, General and Operations Managers). HUD 2BR FMR $1,407/mo (studio $1,059).

FBI UCR (TX): 395 violent, 2058 property/100K. NCES: 14.7:1 ratio, 11.4% charter. DOL infant childcare $7,566/yr. EPA: 70 Superfund sites (TX).

Where Corpus Christi sits among all US metros

Composite Life Score vs the national field

50 49th percentile higher than 49% of 387 US metros

25–30: 1 US metros (0%). Below this entry. 30–35: 7 US metros (2%). Below this entry. 35–40: 34 US metros (9%). Below this entry. 40–45: 66 US metros (17%). Below this entry. 45–50: 91 US metros (24%). This entry sits in this band. 50–55: 77 US metros (20%). Above this entry. 55–60: 60 US metros (16%). Above this entry. 60–65: 44 US metros (11%). Above this entry. 65–70: 6 US metros (2%). Above this entry. 70–75: 1 US metros (0%). Above this entry. This metro 25 75 every US metro, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainCompare composite of BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, EPA data · August 2026

Dimension detail

How Corpus Christi scores, dimension by dimension

Score Breakdown

Cost of Living Wages Rent Safety Schools Childcare Environment

Dimension Scores

Cost of Living 58/100 (20%)
Wages 33/100 (20%)
Rent 37/100 (15%)
Safety 37/100 (15%)
Schools 42/100 (10%)
Childcare 77/100 (10%)
Environment 85/100 (10%)

Key Data Points

92.7
Cost Index (RPP)
$61,494
Avg Median Salary
$1,407
2BR Fair Market Rent
395
Violent Crime/100K (TX)
14.7:1
Student-Teacher Ratio
$7,566
Infant Childcare/yr (TX)
70
Superfund Sites (TX)
183,520
Total Employment

Geography used: crime, schools, childcare, and environment cards above are TX state-level when metro-specific feeds are unavailable, see the scope key at the top of this page.

Compare Corpus Christi With...

Ranking Context

Corpus Christi outranks 49% of U.S. metros.

Rank Metro Score Grade
#193 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 49.8 B-
#194 Fort Smith, AR-OK 49.8 B-
#195 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 49.8 B-
#196 Corpus Christi, TX 49.7 B-
#197 Bangor, ME 49.7 B-
#198 Bloomington, IN 49.7 B-
#199 Harrisonburg, VA 49.7 B-

TX Metro Scores

Read with Corpus Christi

Nearest composite peers and cost poles for Corpus Christi (MID · ENVIRO-LED · MID/LOW), replacing the fixed Explore/Guides strip.

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Corpus Christi Life Score 49.7/100 · signature wages · retrieved and formatted by PlainCompare