Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garland, TX
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 Vacaville leads 13 of 22 categories
Garland
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,044
Violent Crime Index
61 ✓ Safer
Population
244,026 ✓ Larger
Vacaville
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,764 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
101,631
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garland, TX
Pros
Homes cost $331k less ($229,000 vs $560,400)
Rent averages $720/mo less ($1,421 vs $2,141)
21% less violent crime than Vacaville
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Vacaville
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Vacaville by $35,720/yr
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Households earn $35,720 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $560,400
Higher rents — median is $2,141/mo
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Garland
Key Differences at a Glance
Garland
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
Garland
Violent Crime
21% lower
232.7 vs 293.2 per 100k
Garland
Median Home Value
$331k less
$229,000 vs $560,400
Vacaville
Median Income
$35,720
$106,764 vs $71,044/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garland, TX | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 109.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $229,000 ✓ Lower | $560,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,421⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,141⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,044 | $106,764 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 28.9 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.4% | 9.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 83 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.1% | 26.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.6% | 91.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GARLAND ISD | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 57.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" | 24.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 244,026 ✓ Larger | 101,631 |
| Median Age | 34.4 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.0% | 66.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.8% ✓ More | 22.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.4% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garland's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Garland is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Vacaville leads 13 of 22 categories. Garland wins 9 and Vacaville 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 Garland to Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($229,000 vs $560,400 median home), income ($71,044 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garland, TX and Vacaville, CA are about 1,467 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.