Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakewood, CO
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 13 of 23 categories
Lakewood
Colorado
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,786 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High
Population
156,149 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
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.
Lakewood, CO
Pros
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $7,128 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $494,100
Violent crime (787.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,665/mo
Property crime (5093.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $178k less ($316,600 vs $494,100)
45% less violent crime than Lakewood
Rent averages $376/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,665)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 45°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakewood
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.4%)
Median income trails Lakewood by $7,128/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Lakewood
Median Income
$7,128
$82,786 vs $75,658/yr
Lakewood
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.6% unemployment
Visalia
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Violent Crime
45% lower
435.3 vs 787.2 per 100k
Visalia
Median Home Value
$178k less
$316,600 vs $494,100
Visalia
Summer Heat
7.9°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 85.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakewood, CO | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $494,100⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,786 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 221⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 207⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 243⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.9°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.8" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 58.0" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 156,149 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.0% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.4% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakewood's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 13 of 23 categories. Lakewood wins 10 and Visalia wins 13. 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 Lakewood to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,100 vs $316,600 median home), income ($82,786 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakewood, CO and Visalia, CA are about 807 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.