Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Costa Mesa, CA
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 17 of 22 categories
Costa Mesa
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,981
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
111,490
Thousand Oaks
California
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Costa Mesa, CA
Pros
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Rent averages $215/mo less ($2,268 vs $2,483)
Smaller class sizes — 18.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (737.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $20,418/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (2836.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
86% less violent crime than Costa Mesa
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $20,418 more per year on average
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $59k less ($900,600 vs $959,800)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Costa Mesa
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Thousand Oaks
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 113.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$20,418
$125,399 vs $104,981/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
86% lower
102.2 vs 737.6 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Median Home Value
$59k less
$900,600 vs $959,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Thousand Oaks, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $959,800⚠ High | $900,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,268⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,981 | $125,399 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter | 25.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% | 18.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 135⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (102) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.5% | 49.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.9% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport-Mesa Unified | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 16.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 111,490 | 126,532 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.4 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.7% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | 20.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Costa Mesa's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Thousand Oaks is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 17 of 22 categories. Costa Mesa wins 5 and Thousand Oaks wins 17. 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 Costa Mesa to Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($959,800 vs $900,600 median home), income ($104,981 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Costa Mesa, CA and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 66 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.