Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fontana, CA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 13 of 22 categories
Fontana
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$93,230 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
71 ✓ Safer
Population
209,279 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fontana, CA
Pros
38% less violent crime than Visalia
Households earn $17,572 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 55°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $506,600
Higher rents — median is $1,616/mo
Longer commutes — 33.3 min average each way
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Visalia
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $190k less ($316,600 vs $506,600)
Rent averages $327/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,616)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.6%)
More college-educated — 23.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Fontana
Cons
Median income trails Fontana by $17,572/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fontana
Median Income
$17,572
$93,230 vs $75,658/yr
Fontana
Violent Crime
38% lower
270.2 vs 435.3 per 100k
Visalia
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Home Value
$190k less
$316,600 vs $506,600
Visalia
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fontana, CA | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $506,600⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,616⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,230 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.3 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.4% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 21.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.0% | 23.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.3% | 86.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fontana Unified | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 93.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.3" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 209,279 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 32.6 | 33.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.6% ✓ Higher | 60.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.9% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fontana's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Visalia leads 13 of 22 categories. Fontana wins 9 and Visalia wins 13. 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 Fontana to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($506,600 vs $316,600 median home), income ($93,230 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fontana, CA and Visalia, CA are about 186 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.