Head-to-Head · City Comparison
East Los Angeles, CA
VS
Fairfield, CA
🏆 Fairfield leads 17 of 22 categories
East Los Angeles
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,119
Violent Crime Index
147⚠ High
Population
117,222
Fairfield
California
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$98,857 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
131⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
119,420 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
East Los Angeles, CA
Pros
Rent averages $678/mo less ($1,369 vs $2,047)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 57°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 90°F
Smaller class sizes — 18.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fairfield by $34,738/yr
Violent crime (558.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 5.5%)
Fairfield, CA
Pros
Households earn $34,738 more per year on average
11% less violent crime than East Los Angeles
More college-educated — 27.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.5%)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than East Los Angeles
Homes cost $36k less ($546,200 vs $582,400)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,047/mo
Violent crime (498.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Fairfield
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 109.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Fairfield
Median Income
$34,738
$98,857 vs $64,119/yr
Fairfield
Violent Crime
11% lower
498.0 vs 558.4 per 100k
Fairfield
Median Home Value
$36k less
$546,200 vs $582,400
Fairfield
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.3% unemployment
Fairfield
Summer Heat
7.6°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 82.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | East Los Angeles, CA | Fairfield, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $582,400⚠ High | $546,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,369⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,047⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,119 | $98,857 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.8 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 32.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.0% | 9.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 124⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | 131⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (68) | C+ (85) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 11.0% | 27.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 55.4% | 87.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Animo Ellen Ochoa Charter Middle District | Fairfield-Suisun Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer | 56.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.0°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.2" ✓ Drier | 24.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,222 | 119,420 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.2 | 35.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.9% | 60.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | 24.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.8% | 13.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
East Los Angeles's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Fairfield's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Fairfield is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Fairfield leads 17 of 22 categories. East Los Angeles wins 5 and Fairfield wins 17. 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 East Los Angeles to Fairfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($582,400 vs $546,200 median home), income ($64,119 vs $98,857), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
East Los Angeles, CA and Fairfield, CA are about 363 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.