Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
Waterbury, CT
🏆 Daly City leads 14 of 22 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
Waterbury
Connecticut
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,451
Violent Crime Index
85
Population
114,480 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Households earn $63,459 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.4 pts lower (5.4%)
8% less violent crime than Waterbury
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 84°F
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 37°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,073,100
Higher rents — median is $2,554/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Waterbury
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Waterbury, CT
Pros
Homes cost $910k less ($162,800 vs $1,073,100)
Rent averages $1414/mo less ($1,140 vs $2,554)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Daly City
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Daly City by $63,459/yr
Property crime (2918.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.8% vs 5.4%)
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Income
$63,459
$114,910 vs $51,451/yr
Daly City
Violent Crime
8% lower
296.3 vs 322.5 per 100k
Daly City
Unemployment
4.4 pp lower
5.4% vs 9.8% unemployment
Waterbury
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 95.1 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Waterbury
Median Home Value
$910k less
$162,800 vs $1,073,100
Waterbury
Summer Heat
22.2°F warmer
July avg high 84.0°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | Waterbury, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 95.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,073,100⚠ High | $162,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High | $1,140 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 ✓ Higher | $51,451 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High | 27.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 ✓ Safer | 107⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 85 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% ✓ Higher | 16.7% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% ✓ Higher | 81.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | Waterbury School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 84.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.6" ✓ Drier | 52.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 46.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 | 114,480 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 36.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 43.8% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Waterbury's 95.1 (US average = 100).
Waterbury is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Daly City leads 14 of 22 categories. Daly City wins 14 and Waterbury wins 8. 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 Waterbury or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $162,800 median home), income ($114,910 vs $51,451), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and Waterbury, CT are about 2,608 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.