Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Glendale, CA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Glendale leads 13 of 23 categories
Glendale
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,219 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
76 ✓ Safer
Population
194,512 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Glendale, CA
Pros
34% less violent crime than Visalia
More college-educated — 43.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 55°F
Households earn $5,561 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $992,000
Higher rents — median is $2,002/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Visalia
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $675k less ($316,600 vs $992,000)
Rent averages $713/mo less ($1,289 vs $2,002)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (5.6%)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Glendale
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 21.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Glendale by $5,561/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Glendale
Median Income
$5,561
$81,219 vs $75,658/yr
Glendale
Violent Crime
34% lower
287.2 vs 435.3 per 100k
Visalia
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Home Value
$675k less
$316,600 vs $992,000
Visalia
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
5.6% vs 8.1% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
8.0°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 85.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Glendale, 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 | $992,000⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,002⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $81,219 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.6 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 76 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 97 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.6:1 | 21.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.8% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Glendale Unified | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.8°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 194,512 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 41.1 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.2% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.4% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Glendale'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, Glendale leads 13 of 23 categories. Glendale wins 13 and Visalia wins 10. 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 ($992,000 vs $316,600 median home), income ($81,219 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Glendale, CA and Visalia, CA are about 160 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.