Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, CA
VS
Fairfield, CA
🏆 Concord leads 14 of 22 categories
Concord
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$107,789 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
128⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
125,007 ✓ Larger
Fairfield
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$98,857
Violent Crime Index
131⚠ High
Population
119,420
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Concord, CA
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.9%)
More college-educated — 36.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $8,932 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (484.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $706,700
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Property crime (2886.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Fairfield, CA
Pros
Homes cost $161k less ($546,200 vs $706,700)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Concord
Rent averages $90/mo less ($2,047 vs $2,137)
Cons
Violent crime (498.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Concord by $8,932/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Median Income
$8,932
$107,789 vs $98,857/yr
Concord
Violent Crime
3% lower
484.6 vs 498.0 per 100k
Concord
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.9% vs 5.5% unemployment
Fairfield
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 109.2 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Fairfield
Median Home Value
$161k less
$546,200 vs $706,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, CA | Fairfield, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $706,700⚠ High | $546,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,137⚠ High | $2,047⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $107,789 ✓ Higher | $98,857 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.6 min⚠ High | 32.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.7% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 131⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 128⚠ High ✓ Safer | 131⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.7% ✓ Higher | 27.8% |
| High School or Higher | 88.6% ✓ Higher | 87.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mt. Diablo Unified | Fairfield-Suisun Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.6°F ✓ Warmer | 56.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.9" ✓ Drier | 24.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 125,007 ✓ Larger | 119,420 |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 35.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.1% ✓ Higher | 60.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 24.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Fairfield's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Fairfield is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Concord leads 14 of 22 categories. Concord wins 14 and Fairfield 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 Concord to Fairfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($706,700 vs $546,200 median home), income ($107,789 vs $98,857), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, CA and Fairfield, CA are about 20 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.