Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
Phoenix, AZ
🏆 Phoenix leads 13 of 23 categories
Daly City
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,910 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
78 ✓ Safer
Population
103,648
Phoenix
Arizona
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,092
Violent Crime Index
210⚠ High
Population
1,609,456 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Households earn $42,818 more per year on average
63% less violent crime than Phoenix
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 104°F
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,073,100
Higher rents — median is $2,554/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Phoenix
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Phoenix, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $733k less ($340,200 vs $1,073,100)
Rent averages $1232/mo less ($1,322 vs $2,554)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Daly City
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 59°F
Smaller class sizes — 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Daly City by $42,818/yr
Violent crime (799.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Income
$42,818
$114,910 vs $72,092/yr
Daly City
Violent Crime
63% lower
296.3 vs 799.6 per 100k
Phoenix
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Phoenix
Median Home Value
$733k less
$340,200 vs $1,073,100
Phoenix
Summer Heat
42.2°F warmer
July avg high 104.0°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | Phoenix, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,073,100⚠ High | $340,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High | $1,322 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 ✓ Higher | $72,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High | 25.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% | 14.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 ✓ Safer | 171⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 210⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 | 15.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% ✓ Higher | 83.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F | 65.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 104.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.6" | 8.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 | 1,609,456 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 56.4% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Phoenix's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Phoenix is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Phoenix leads 13 of 23 categories. Daly City wins 10 and Phoenix wins 13. 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 Phoenix or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $340,200 median home), income ($114,910 vs $72,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and Phoenix, AZ are about 648 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.