Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boca Raton, FL
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 Boca Raton leads 12 of 22 categories
Boca Raton
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,570
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
97,980
Vacaville
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$106,764 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
101,631 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boca Raton, FL
Pros
42% less violent crime than Vacaville
More college-educated — 59.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (171.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 58°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Median income trails Vacaville by $11,194/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $597,100
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Vacaville
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.4%)
Households earn $11,194 more per year on average
Homes cost $37k less ($560,400 vs $597,100)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Boca Raton
Cons
Longer commutes — 28.9 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Boca Raton
Violent Crime
42% lower
171.0 vs 293.2 per 100k
Vacaville
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 109.2 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Vacaville
Median Income
$11,194
$106,764 vs $95,570/yr
Vacaville
Median Home Value
$37k less
$560,400 vs $597,100
Vacaville
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 5.9% unemployment
Vacaville
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 90.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boca Raton, FL | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,100⚠ High | $560,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,170⚠ High | $2,141⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $95,570 | $106,764 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 28.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 18.0% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 59 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 80 ✓ Safer | 83 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.0% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| High School or Higher | 96.0% ✓ Higher | 91.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PALM BEACH | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.3°F ✓ Warmer | 57.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 65.6" | 24.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,980 | 101,631 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 47.1 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.7% | 66.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 25.7% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boca Raton's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Vacaville is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Boca Raton leads 12 of 22 categories. Boca Raton wins 12 and Vacaville 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 Boca Raton to Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,100 vs $560,400 median home), income ($95,570 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boca Raton, FL and Vacaville, CA are about 2,555 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.