Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 Vacaville leads 11 of 21 categories
Daly City
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,910 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
78
Population
103,648 ✓ Larger
Vacaville
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$106,764
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.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 95°F
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $8,146 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,073,100
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Higher rents — median is $2,554/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Vacaville
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Homes cost $513k less ($560,400 vs $1,073,100)
Rent averages $413/mo less ($2,141 vs $2,554)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Daly City
Cons
Median income trails Daly City by $8,146/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Income
$8,146
$114,910 vs $106,764/yr
Vacaville
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 109.2 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Vacaville
Median Home Value
$513k less
$560,400 vs $1,073,100
Vacaville
Summer Heat
33.2°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,073,100⚠ High | $560,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High | $2,141⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 ✓ Higher | $106,764 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High | 28.9 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 | 79 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 | 77 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 | 83 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% | 91.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 57.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.6" ✓ Drier | 24.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 ✓ Larger | 101,631 |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% | 66.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Vacaville is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Vacaville leads 11 of 21 categories. Daly City wins 10 and Vacaville wins 11. 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 Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $560,400 median home), income ($114,910 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and Vacaville, CA are about 54 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.