Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 15 of 23 categories
El Monte
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,682
Visalia
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 55°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Median income trails Visalia by $15,729/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,605/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $281k less ($316,600 vs $597,200)
Households earn $15,729 more per year on average
Rent averages $316/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,605)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (5.6%)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
El Monte
Violent Crime
3% lower
423.2 vs 435.3 per 100k
Visalia
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Income
$15,729
$75,658 vs $59,929/yr
Visalia
Median Home Value
$281k less
$316,600 vs $597,200
Visalia
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
5.6% vs 7.0% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
8.3°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, 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 | $597,200⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $75,658 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 6.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 23.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 86.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 141,466 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte'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 15 of 23 categories. El Monte wins 8 and Visalia wins 15. 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 El Monte to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $316,600 median home), income ($59,929 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Visalia, CA are about 172 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.