Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fremont, CA
VS
San Leandro, CA
🏆 Fremont leads 15 of 21 categories
Fremont
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$169,023 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
228,795 ✓ Larger
San Leandro
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$97,141
Violent Crime Index
144⚠ High
Population
89,723
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fremont, CA
Pros
Households earn $71,882 more per year on average
64% less violent crime than San Leandro
More college-educated — 61.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (195.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.0%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,231,500
Higher rents — median is $2,824/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
San Leandro, CA
Pros
Homes cost $459k less ($772,700 vs $1,231,500)
Rent averages $827/mo less ($1,997 vs $2,824)
Cooler summers — July highs near 72°F vs 77°F
Smaller class sizes — 21.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fremont by $71,882/yr
Violent crime (548.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Property crime (3922.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Fremont
Median Income
$71,882
$169,023 vs $97,141/yr
Fremont
Violent Crime
64% lower
195.7 vs 548.7 per 100k
Fremont
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.0% unemployment
Fremont
Summer Heat
5.4°F warmer
July avg high 77.0°F vs 71.6°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 118.2 on the COL index
San Leandro
Median Home Value
$459k less
$772,700 vs $1,231,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fremont, CA | San Leandro, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 118.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $1,231,500⚠ High | $772,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,824⚠ High | $1,997⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $169,023 ✓ Higher | $97,141 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.1 min⚠ High | 32.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 11.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 161⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 144⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 187⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 21.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.9% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 84.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fremont Unified | San Leandro Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.1°F ✓ Warmer | 57.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 77.0°F ✓ Warmer | 71.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.4" ✓ Drier | 18.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 228,795 ✓ Larger | 89,723 |
| Median Age | 38.6 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.7% ✓ Higher | 57.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 17.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 17.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fremont's cost of living index is 118.2 vs San Leandro's 118.2 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Fremont leads 15 of 21 categories. Fremont wins 15 and San Leandro wins 6. 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 Fremont to San Leandro or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,231,500 vs $772,700 median home), income ($169,023 vs $97,141), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fremont, CA and San Leandro, CA are about 19 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.