Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Glendale, CA
VS
Olathe, KS
🏆 Olathe leads 16 of 23 categories
Glendale
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,219
Violent Crime Index
76
Population
194,512 ✓ Larger
Olathe
Kansas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$108,077 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
142,114
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Glendale, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $992,000
Higher rents — median is $2,002/mo
Median income trails Olathe by $26,858/yr
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Olathe
Olathe, KS
Pros
Homes cost $674k less ($317,900 vs $992,000)
Rent averages $773/mo less ($1,229 vs $2,002)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.9 pts lower (3.2%)
32% less violent crime than Glendale
Households earn $26,858 more per year on average
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Glendale
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Olathe
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Olathe
Median Income
$26,858
$108,077 vs $81,219/yr
Olathe
Violent Crime
32% lower
196.0 vs 287.2 per 100k
Olathe
Median Home Value
$674k less
$317,900 vs $992,000
Olathe
Unemployment
4.9 pp lower
3.2% vs 8.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Glendale, CA | Olathe, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $992,000⚠ High | $317,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,002⚠ High | $1,229 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $81,219 | $108,077 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.6 min | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 16.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 76 | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 97 | 45 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.6:1 | 4.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.8% | 50.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 94.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Glendale Unified | School for Deaf |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.8°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7" ✓ Drier | 40.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 194,512 ✓ Larger | 142,114 |
| Median Age | 41.1 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.2% | 73.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 26.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.4% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Glendale's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Olathe's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Olathe is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Olathe leads 16 of 23 categories. Glendale wins 7 and Olathe wins 16. 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 Olathe or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($992,000 vs $317,900 median home), income ($81,219 vs $108,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Glendale, CA and Olathe, KS are about 1,336 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.