Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Glendale, AZ
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 12 of 23 categories
Glendale
Arizona
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,375
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
248,083 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,658 ✓ Higher
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.
Glendale, AZ
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 55°F
Smaller class sizes — 18.6:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Visalia
Cons
Violent crime (488.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Visalia by $9,283/yr
Property crime (2670.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Longer commutes — 28.3 min average each way
Visalia, CA
Pros
11% less violent crime than Glendale
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Households earn $9,283 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 94°F vs 105°F
Cons
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Glendale
Key Differences at a Glance
Glendale
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 101.3 (100 = US avg)
Glendale
Summer Heat
11.1°F warmer
July avg high 104.9°F vs 93.8°F
Visalia
Median Income
$9,283
$75,658 vs $66,375/yr
Visalia
Violent Crime
11% lower
435.3 vs 488.4 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Glendale, AZ | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper | 101.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $310,000⚠ High ✓ Lower | $316,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,268 ✓ Lower | $1,289 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $66,375 | $75,658 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.3 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 | 128⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.6% | 23.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.1% | 86.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Peoria Unified School District (4237) | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.4°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 104.9°F ✓ Warmer | 93.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.2" ✓ Drier | 10.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 248,083 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 34.1 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.2% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Glendale's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Glendale is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 12 of 23 categories. Glendale 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 Glendale to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($310,000 vs $316,600 median home), income ($66,375 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Glendale, AZ and Visalia, CA are about 448 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.