Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Joliet, IL
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Joliet leads 13 of 23 categories
Joliet
Illinois
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,971 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
92 ✓ Safer
Population
150,221 ✓ 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.
Joliet, IL
Pros
Homes cost $83k less ($233,800 vs $316,600)
20% less violent crime than Visalia
Households earn $9,313 more per year on average
Rent averages $115/mo less ($1,174 vs $1,289)
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Visalia, CA
Pros
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.6%)
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 31°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $316,600
Median income trails Joliet by $9,313/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Joliet
Median Income
$9,313
$84,971 vs $75,658/yr
Joliet
Violent Crime
20% lower
350.0 vs 435.3 per 100k
Joliet
Median Home Value
$83k less
$233,800 vs $316,600
Visalia
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.2% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
10.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 83.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Joliet, IL | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $233,800 ✓ Lower | $316,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,174 ✓ Lower | $1,289 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,971 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 79 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 92 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% | 86.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Joliet PSD 86 | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 31.1°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.6°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.2" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.9" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,221 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 34.3 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.4% ✓ Higher | 60.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Joliet's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Joliet leads 13 of 23 categories. Joliet 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 Joliet to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,800 vs $316,600 median home), income ($84,971 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Joliet, IL and Visalia, CA are about 1,704 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.