Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fullerton, CA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 12 of 23 categories
Fullerton
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,279 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High
Population
142,280 ✓ Larger
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
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fullerton, CA
Pros
Households earn $23,621 more per year on average
More college-educated — 44.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 55°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $791,000
Higher rents — median is $1,989/mo
Violent crime (455.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $474k less ($316,600 vs $791,000)
Rent averages $700/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,989)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (5.6%)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Fullerton
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 21.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fullerton by $23,621/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fullerton
Median Income
$23,621
$99,279 vs $75,658/yr
Visalia
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Violent Crime
4% lower
435.3 vs 455.3 per 100k
Visalia
Median Home Value
$474k less
$316,600 vs $791,000
Visalia
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.9% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
9.4°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fullerton, 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 | $791,000⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,989⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,279 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 120⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 25.3:1 | 21.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.0% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fullerton Elementary | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.9" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,280 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 35.5 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fullerton'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 12 of 23 categories. Fullerton 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 Fullerton to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($791,000 vs $316,600 median home), income ($99,279 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fullerton, CA and Visalia, CA are about 186 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.