Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Denver, CO
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 14 of 23 categories
Denver
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,853 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
261⚠ High
Population
710,800 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Denver, CO
Pros
More college-educated — 54.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.7%)
Households earn $10,195 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $540,400
Violent crime (993.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,665/mo
Property crime (4761.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $224k less ($316,600 vs $540,400)
56% less violent crime than Denver
Rent averages $376/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,665)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 47°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Denver
Cons
Median income trails Denver by $10,195/yr
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Denver
Median Income
$10,195
$85,853 vs $75,658/yr
Denver
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.6% unemployment
Visalia
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Violent Crime
56% lower
435.3 vs 993.0 per 100k
Visalia
Median Home Value
$224k less
$316,600 vs $540,400
Visalia
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 90.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Denver, CO | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $540,400⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,853 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.3 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 20.9% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 247⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 261⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 227⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.4" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 710,800 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 34.9 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Denver's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 14 of 23 categories. Denver wins 9 and Visalia wins 14. 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 Denver to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($540,400 vs $316,600 median home), income ($85,853 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Denver, CO and Visalia, CA are about 820 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.