Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Simi Valley, CA
🏆 Simi Valley leads 13 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45
Population
120,451
Simi Valley
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$112,144 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
126,153 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
Homes cost $398k less ($305,800 vs $704,200)
Rent averages $1273/mo less ($1,129 vs $2,402)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Simi Valley
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Simi Valley by $59,747/yr
Simi Valley, CA
Pros
Households earn $59,747 more per year on average
24% less violent crime than College Station
Violent crime is well below the national average (129.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 62°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $704,200
Higher rents — median is $2,402/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than College Station
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Median Home Value
$398k less
$305,800 vs $704,200
Simi Valley
Median Income
$59,747
$112,144 vs $52,397/yr
Simi Valley
Violent Crime
24% lower
129.1 vs 170.5 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Simi Valley, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $704,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $2,402⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $112,144 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 28.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 14.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 | 38 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 | 44 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 36.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 91.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Simi Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 95.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 17.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 126,153 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 41.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 72.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 20.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 16.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Simi Valley's 113.5 (US average = 100).
College Station is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Simi Valley leads 13 of 22 categories. College Station wins 9 and Simi Valley 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 College Station to Simi Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $704,200 median home), income ($52,397 vs $112,144), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Simi Valley, CA are about 1,331 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.