Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fairfield, CA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 12 of 23 categories
Fairfield
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,857 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
131⚠ High
Population
119,420
Visalia
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
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.
Fairfield, CA
Pros
Households earn $23,199 more per year on average
More college-educated — 27.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $546,200
Higher rents — median is $2,047/mo
Violent crime (498.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Longer commutes — 32.3 min average each way
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $230k less ($316,600 vs $546,200)
Rent averages $758/mo less ($1,289 vs $2,047)
13% less violent crime than Fairfield
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Fairfield
Smaller class sizes — 21.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fairfield by $23,199/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fairfield
Median Income
$23,199
$98,857 vs $75,658/yr
Visalia
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Violent Crime
13% lower
435.3 vs 498.0 per 100k
Visalia
Median Home Value
$230k less
$316,600 vs $546,200
Visalia
Summer Heat
4.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fairfield, CA | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 109.2⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $546,200⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,047⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $98,857 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.3 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 111⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 131⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 80 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 21.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.8% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 87.0% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fairfield-Suisun Unified | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.6°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.5" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 119,420 | 141,466 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.8 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.3% ✓ Higher | 60.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fairfield's cost of living index is 109.2 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 12 of 23 categories. Fairfield wins 11 and Visalia wins 12. 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 Fairfield to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($546,200 vs $316,600 median home), income ($98,857 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fairfield, CA and Visalia, CA are about 200 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.