Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Houston, TX
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 12 of 23 categories
Houston
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ 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.
Houston, TX
Pros
Homes cost $82k less ($235,000 vs $316,600)
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 55°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Visalia by $15,218/yr
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 5.6%)
Visalia, CA
Pros
62% less violent crime than Houston
Households earn $15,218 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (5.6%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $316,600
Key Differences at a Glance
Houston
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 101.3 (100 = US avg)
Houston
Median Home Value
$82k less
$235,000 vs $316,600
Visalia
Median Income
$15,218
$75,658 vs $60,440/yr
Visalia
Violent Crime
62% lower
435.3 vs 1148.2 per 100k
Visalia
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Houston, TX | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 101.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $235,000 ✓ Lower | $316,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 ✓ Lower | $1,289 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,440 | $75,658 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.4 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 263⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 302⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 204⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 79.6% | 86.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HOUSTON ISD | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.8°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.2°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.4" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 33.9 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.0% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Houston's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Houston is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 12 of 23 categories. Houston 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 Houston to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($235,000 vs $316,600 median home), income ($60,440 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Houston, TX and Visalia, CA are about 1,454 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.