Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Beaverton, OR
VS
San Marcos, CA
🏆 Beaverton leads 13 of 23 categories
Beaverton
Oregon
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$88,899
Violent Crime Index
96
Population
97,554 ✓ Larger
San Marcos
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,413 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59 ✓ Safer
Population
94,360
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Beaverton, OR
Pros
Homes cost $234k less ($494,700 vs $728,800)
Rent averages $401/mo less ($1,663 vs $2,064)
More college-educated — 48.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio
5% cheaper overall cost of living than San Marcos
Cons
Property crime (2661.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails San Marcos by $10,514/yr
San Marcos, CA
Pros
39% less violent crime than Beaverton
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 49°F
Households earn $10,514 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Beaverton
Key Differences at a Glance
Beaverton
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 106.6 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Beaverton
Median Home Value
$234k less
$494,700 vs $728,800
San Marcos
Median Income
$10,514
$99,413 vs $88,899/yr
San Marcos
Violent Crime
39% lower
222.4 vs 364.8 per 100k
San Marcos
Summer Heat
4.9°F warmer
July avg high 87.2°F vs 82.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Beaverton, OR | San Marcos, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $494,700⚠ High ✓ Lower | $728,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,663⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,064⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $88,899 | $99,413 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.7% ✓ Higher | 16.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 108⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.3% ✓ Higher | 41.5% |
| High School or Higher | 94.5% ✓ Higher | 87.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Beaverton SD 48J | San Marcos Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.7°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.3°F | 87.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.0" | 13.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,554 ✓ Larger | 94,360 |
| Median Age | 36.7 ✓ Older | 35.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.3% | 61.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.4% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Beaverton's cost of living index is 106.6 vs San Marcos's 111.5 (US average = 100).
Beaverton is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Beaverton leads 13 of 23 categories. Beaverton wins 13 and San Marcos wins 10. 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 Beaverton to San Marcos or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,700 vs $728,800 median home), income ($88,899 vs $99,413), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Beaverton, OR and San Marcos, CA are about 904 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.