Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Daly City leads 14 of 23 categories
Daly City
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,910 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
78 ✓ Safer
Population
103,648
Sparks
Nevada
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,938
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
108,025 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Households earn $31,972 more per year on average
25% less violent crime than Sparks
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 92°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 48°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 15% higher than Sparks
Sparks, NV
Pros
Homes cost $650k less ($423,500 vs $1,073,100)
Rent averages $1028/mo less ($1,526 vs $2,554)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Daly City
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 19.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Daly City by $31,972/yr
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Income
$31,972
$114,910 vs $82,938/yr
Daly City
Violent Crime
25% lower
296.3 vs 394.4 per 100k
Daly City
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.1% unemployment
Sparks
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 103.2 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Sparks
Median Home Value
$650k less
$423,500 vs $1,073,100
Sparks
Summer Heat
30.3°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,073,100⚠ High | $423,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High | $1,526⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 ✓ Higher | $82,938 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 ✓ Safer | 123⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% ✓ Higher | 25.4% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 48.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.6" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 | 108,025 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 37.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 59.4% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 15.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Sparks is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Daly City leads 14 of 23 categories. Daly City wins 14 and Sparks wins 9. 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 Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $423,500 median home), income ($114,910 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and Sparks, NV are about 198 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.