Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Austin, TX
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Austin leads 12 of 23 categories
Austin
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$86,556 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
123⚠ High
Population
958,202 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Austin, TX
Pros
More college-educated — 56.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $10,898 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 55°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Visalia
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $461,500
Violent crime (466.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,549/mo
Property crime (3241.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $145k less ($316,600 vs $461,500)
7% less violent crime than Austin
Rent averages $260/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,549)
Cons
Median income trails Austin by $10,898/yr
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.4%)
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Austin
Key Differences at a Glance
Austin
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 101.3 (100 = US avg)
Austin
Median Income
$10,898
$86,556 vs $75,658/yr
Austin
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.6% unemployment
Visalia
Violent Crime
7% lower
435.3 vs 466.9 per 100k
Visalia
Median Home Value
$145k less
$316,600 vs $461,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Austin, TX | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper | 101.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $461,500⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,549⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,556 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.1 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.9% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 135⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 154⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (133) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 56.5% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 91.1% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AUSTIN ISD | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.5°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer | 93.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 958,202 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 34.2 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.8% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Austin's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Austin is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Austin leads 12 of 23 categories. Austin wins 12 and Visalia 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 Austin to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($461,500 vs $316,600 median home), income ($86,556 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Austin, TX and Visalia, CA are about 1,310 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.