Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boca Raton, FL
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Boca Raton leads 15 of 23 categories
Boca Raton
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,570 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
97,980
Visalia
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boca Raton, FL
Pros
61% less violent crime than Visalia
More college-educated — 59.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $19,912 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (171.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 55°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,100
Higher rents — median is $2,170/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Visalia
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $281k less ($316,600 vs $597,100)
Rent averages $881/mo less ($1,289 vs $2,170)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Boca Raton
Cons
Median income trails Boca Raton by $19,912/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Boca Raton
Median Income
$19,912
$95,570 vs $75,658/yr
Boca Raton
Violent Crime
61% lower
171.0 vs 435.3 per 100k
Visalia
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Home Value
$281k less
$316,600 vs $597,100
Visalia
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 90.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boca Raton, FL | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,100⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,170⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $95,570 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 21.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 18.0% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 59 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 80 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.0% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 96.0% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PALM BEACH | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.3°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 65.6" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,980 | 141,466 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 47.1 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 60.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 25.7% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boca Raton's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Boca Raton leads 15 of 23 categories. Boca Raton wins 15 and Visalia wins 8. 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 Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,100 vs $316,600 median home), income ($95,570 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boca Raton, FL and Visalia, CA are about 2,396 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.