Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Thousand Oaks
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (2.8%)
Rent averages $256/mo less ($2,227 vs $2,483)
Households earn $11,988 more per year on average
Homes cost $67k less ($833,300 vs $900,600)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
60% less violent crime than Arlington
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 45°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 78°F vs 90°F
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 2.8%)
Median income trails Arlington by $11,988/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 108.6 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Arlington
Median Income
$11,988
$137,387 vs $125,399/yr
Arlington
Median Home Value
$67k less
$833,300 vs $900,600
Arlington
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
2.8% vs 4.8% unemployment
Arlington
Summer Heat
11.6°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 78.0°F
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
60% lower
102.2 vs 254.4 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Thousand Oaks, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High ✓ Lower | $900,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $125,399 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 18.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 49.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 94.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 20.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Arlington is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 12 and Thousand Oaks wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $900,600 median home), income ($137,387 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 2,321 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.