Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hoover, AL
VS
Modesto, CA
🏆 Hoover leads 17 of 23 categories
Hoover
Alabama
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$101,765 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
21 ✓ Safer
Population
91,995
Modesto
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$73,375
Violent Crime Index
173⚠ High
Population
218,308 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hoover, AL
Pros
88% less violent crime than Modesto
Households earn $28,390 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.9 pts lower (3.9%)
More college-educated — 60.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Modesto
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Modesto, CA
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Median income trails Hoover by $28,390/yr
Violent crime (655.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Hoover
Higher unemployment (7.8% vs 3.9%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Hoover
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 92.6 vs 105.0 (100 = US avg)
Hoover
Median Income
$28,390
$101,765 vs $73,375/yr
Hoover
Violent Crime
88% lower
78.0 vs 655.7 per 100k
Hoover
Median Home Value
$16k less
$366,200 vs $381,800
Hoover
Unemployment
3.9 pp lower
3.9% vs 7.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hoover, AL | Modesto, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 ✓ Cheaper | 105.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $366,200⚠ High ✓ Lower | $381,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,352⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,497⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $101,765 ✓ Higher | $73,375 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter | 29.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 6.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 150⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | C- (65) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 19.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.7% ✓ Higher | 83.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hoover City | Modesto City Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.8°F | 56.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.2°F | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 59.0" | 12.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,995 | 218,308 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.5% ✓ Higher | 57.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | 26.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.1% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hoover's cost of living index is 92.6 vs Modesto's 105.0 (US average = 100).
Hoover is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Hoover leads 17 of 23 categories. Hoover wins 17 and Modesto wins 6. 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 Hoover to Modesto or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($366,200 vs $381,800 median home), income ($101,765 vs $73,375), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hoover, AL and Modesto, CA are about 1,935 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.