Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 College Station leads 16 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451 ✓ Larger
Vacaville
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,764 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
101,631
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
Rent averages $1012/mo less ($1,129 vs $2,141)
Homes cost $255k less ($305,800 vs $560,400)
42% less violent crime than Vacaville
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Vacaville
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Vacaville by $54,367/yr
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Households earn $54,367 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,141/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $560,400
Cost of living runs 19% higher than College Station
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
42% lower
170.5 vs 293.2 per 100k
College Station
Median Home Value
$255k less
$305,800 vs $560,400
College Station
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
Vacaville
Median Income
$54,367
$106,764 vs $52,397/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 109.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $560,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $2,141⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $106,764 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 28.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 83 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 91.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 57.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 95.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 24.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 ✓ Larger | 101,631 |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 66.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
College Station is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 16 of 22 categories. College Station wins 16 and Vacaville wins 6. 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 Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $560,400 median home), income ($52,397 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Vacaville, CA are about 1,552 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.