Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boston, MA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 15 of 23 categories
Boston
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$89,212 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
165⚠ High
Population
665,945 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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.
Boston, MA
Pros
More college-educated — 53.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $13,554 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $684,900
Higher rents — median is $1,981/mo
Violent crime (627.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $368k less ($316,600 vs $684,900)
Rent averages $692/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,981)
31% less violent crime than Boston
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (5.6%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Boston
Cons
Median income trails Boston by $13,554/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Boston
Median Income
$13,554
$89,212 vs $75,658/yr
Visalia
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Violent Crime
31% lower
435.3 vs 627.9 per 100k
Visalia
Median Home Value
$368k less
$316,600 vs $684,900
Visalia
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.6% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
11.7°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $684,900⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,981⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $89,212 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.6 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.1% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 165⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 88.4% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boston | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.8°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 665,945 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 33.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.8% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.7% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boston's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 15 of 23 categories. Boston wins 8 and Visalia wins 15. 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 Boston to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($684,900 vs $316,600 median home), income ($89,212 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boston, MA and Visalia, CA are about 2,580 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.