Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
Joliet, IL
🏆 Joliet leads 12 of 23 categories
Daly City
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,910 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
78 ✓ Safer
Population
103,648
Joliet
Illinois
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$84,971
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
150,221 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Households earn $29,939 more per year on average
15% less violent crime than Joliet
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 31°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 84°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,073,100
Higher rents — median is $2,554/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Joliet
Joliet, IL
Pros
Homes cost $839k less ($233,800 vs $1,073,100)
Rent averages $1380/mo less ($1,174 vs $2,554)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Daly City
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Daly City by $29,939/yr
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Income
$29,939
$114,910 vs $84,971/yr
Daly City
Violent Crime
15% lower
296.3 vs 350.0 per 100k
Daly City
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.2% unemployment
Joliet
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Joliet
Median Home Value
$839k less
$233,800 vs $1,073,100
Joliet
Summer Heat
21.8°F warmer
July avg high 83.6°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | Joliet, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,073,100⚠ High | $233,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 ✓ Higher | $84,971 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High | 29.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 | 79 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B- (93) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% ✓ Higher | 24.9% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% ✓ Higher | 84.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | Joliet PSD 86 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 31.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 83.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.6" ✓ Drier | 40.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 16.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 | 150,221 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% | 72.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 26.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 10.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Joliet's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Joliet is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Joliet leads 12 of 23 categories. Daly City wins 11 and Joliet wins 12. 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 Daly City to Joliet or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $233,800 median home), income ($114,910 vs $84,971), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and Joliet, IL are about 1,834 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.