Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boulder, CO
VS
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
🏆 San Buenaventura (Ventura) leads 13 of 23 categories
Boulder
Colorado
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$80,243
Violent Crime Index
85 ✓ Safer
Population
106,598
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$96,036 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
110,358 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boulder, CO
Pros
More college-educated — 76.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
9% less violent crime than San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
6% cheaper overall cost of living than San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Smaller class sizes — 17.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Rent averages $89/mo less ($1,853 vs $1,942)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $919,700
Median income trails San Buenaventura (Ventura) by $15,793/yr
Property crime (2733.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 85" of snow per year
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
Pros
Homes cost $206k less ($714,000 vs $919,700)
Households earn $15,793 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.9%)
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 47°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 88°F
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Boulder
Higher rents — median is $1,942/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Boulder
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 107.2 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Boulder
Violent Crime
9% lower
322.3 vs 354.5 per 100k
Boulder
Summer Heat
15.1°F warmer
July avg high 88.0°F vs 72.9°F
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Median Income
$15,793
$96,036 vs $80,243/yr
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Median Home Value
$206k less
$714,000 vs $919,700
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.9% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boulder, CO | San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $919,700⚠ High | $714,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,853⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,942⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $80,243 | $96,036 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter | 24.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.0% ✓ Higher | 13.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 103⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 85 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.6% ✓ Higher | 40.1% |
| High School or Higher | 96.9% ✓ Higher | 91.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 | Ventura Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.0°F | 65.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer | 72.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 85.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,598 | 110,358 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 41.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.2% | 56.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 11.7% | 20.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.2% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boulder's cost of living index is 107.2 vs San Buenaventura (Ventura)'s 113.5 (US average = 100).
Boulder is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Buenaventura (Ventura) leads 13 of 23 categories. Boulder wins 10 and San Buenaventura (Ventura) wins 13. 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 Boulder to San Buenaventura (Ventura) or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($919,700 vs $714,000 median home), income ($80,243 vs $96,036), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boulder, CO and San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA are about 866 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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