Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Denton, TX
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Denton leads 14 of 22 categories
Denton
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,921
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
142,262 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Denton, TX
Pros
53% less violent crime than Visalia
Violent crime is well below the national average (204.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.8%)
Homes cost $21k less ($296,100 vs $316,600)
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Visalia by $3,737/yr
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Visalia
Visalia, CA
Pros
Households earn $3,737 more per year on average
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Denton
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.8%)
Pricier housing — median home is $316,600
Key Differences at a Glance
Denton
Violent Crime
53% lower
204.2 vs 435.3 per 100k
Denton
Median Home Value
$21k less
$296,100 vs $316,600
Denton
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.6% unemployment
Visalia
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Income
$3,737
$75,658 vs $71,921/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Denton, TX | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $296,100 ✓ Lower | $316,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,264 ✓ Lower | $1,289 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,921 | $75,658 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.7 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.6% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 65 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 54 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.0% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DENTON ISD | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.8°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 93.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.4" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,262 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 30.4 | 33.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.2% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Denton's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Denton leads 14 of 22 categories. Denton wins 14 and Visalia 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 Denton to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($296,100 vs $316,600 median home), income ($71,921 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Denton, TX and Visalia, CA are about 1,275 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.