Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Wilmington 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
Wilmington
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Households earn $56,002 more per year on average
39% less violent crime than Wilmington
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 90°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,073,100
Higher rents — median is $2,554/mo
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Wilmington
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Homes cost $755k less ($318,600 vs $1,073,100)
Rent averages $1341/mo less ($1,213 vs $2,554)
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Daly City
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.9%)
More college-educated — 43.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Daly City by $56,002/yr
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Income
$56,002
$114,910 vs $58,908/yr
Daly City
Violent Crime
39% lower
296.3 vs 482.8 per 100k
Wilmington
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Median Home Value
$755k less
$318,600 vs $1,073,100
Wilmington
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.9% vs 5.4% unemployment
Wilmington
Summer Heat
28.2°F warmer
July avg high 90.0°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,073,100⚠ High | $318,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% | 14.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 | 15.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% | 43.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% | 93.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.6" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 | 116,933 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 37.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 16.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 17.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Wilmington leads 13 of 23 categories. Daly City wins 10 and Wilmington 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 Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $318,600 median home), income ($114,910 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and Wilmington, NC are about 2,482 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.