Head-to-Head · City Comparison
East Los Angeles, CA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 18 of 23 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
Visalia
California
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
141,466 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
East Los Angeles, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 55°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 18.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $582,400
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)
Median income trails Visalia by $11,539/yr
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $266k less ($316,600 vs $582,400)
22% less violent crime than East Los Angeles
Households earn $11,539 more per year on average
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
14% cheaper overall cost of living than East Los Angeles
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.6%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Visalia
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Income
$11,539
$75,658 vs $64,119/yr
Visalia
Violent Crime
22% lower
435.3 vs 558.4 per 100k
Visalia
Median Home Value
$266k less
$316,600 vs $582,400
Visalia
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.3% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
11.8°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 82.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | East Los Angeles, CA | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $582,400⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,369⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,119 | $75,658 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.8 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.0% | 6.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 124⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (68) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 11.0% | 23.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 55.4% | 86.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Animo Ellen Ochoa Charter Middle District | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.0°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.2" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,222 | 141,466 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.2 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.9% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.8% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
East Los Angeles's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 18 of 23 categories. East Los Angeles wins 5 and Visalia wins 18. 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 Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($582,400 vs $316,600 median home), income ($64,119 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
East Los Angeles, CA and Visalia, CA are about 172 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.