Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Dallas, TX
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 Dallas leads 13 of 23 categories
Dallas
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,985
Violent Crime Index
173⚠ High
Population
1,300,642 ✓ Larger
Vacaville
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,764 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77 ✓ Safer
Population
101,631
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Dallas, TX
Pros
Homes cost $290k less ($270,700 vs $560,400)
Rent averages $836/mo less ($1,305 vs $2,141)
More college-educated — 36.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Vacaville
Smaller class sizes — 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Vacaville by $42,779/yr
Violent crime (658.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3351.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Households earn $42,779 more per year on average
55% less violent crime than Dallas
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $560,400
Higher rents — median is $2,141/mo
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Dallas
Key Differences at a Glance
Dallas
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
Dallas
Median Home Value
$290k less
$270,700 vs $560,400
Vacaville
Median Income
$42,779
$106,764 vs $63,985/yr
Vacaville
Violent Crime
55% lower
293.2 vs 658.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 109.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $270,700 ✓ Lower | $560,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,305 ✓ Lower | $2,141⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,985 | $106,764 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.4 min ✓ Shorter | 28.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.9% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 79 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 173⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High | 83 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.5% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| High School or Higher | 80.2% | 91.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DALLAS ISD | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.7°F ✓ Warmer | 57.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 96.9°F ✓ Warmer | 95.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.4" | 24.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,300,642 ✓ Larger | 101,631 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 66.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.4% ✓ More | 22.5% |
| Over 65 | 11.0% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Dallas's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Dallas is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Dallas leads 13 of 23 categories. Dallas wins 13 and Vacaville wins 10. 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 Dallas to Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($270,700 vs $560,400 median home), income ($63,985 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Dallas, TX and Vacaville, CA are about 1,462 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.