Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Los Angeles, CA
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 16 of 21 categories
Los Angeles
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,244
Violent Crime Index
192⚠ High
Population
3,881,041 ✓ Larger
Thousand Oaks
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Los Angeles, CA
Pros
Rent averages $692/mo less ($1,791 vs $2,483)
Homes cost $78k less ($822,600 vs $900,600)
Smaller class sizes — 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $49,155/yr
Violent crime (728.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 4.8%)
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
86% less violent crime than Los Angeles
Households earn $49,155 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (4.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Key Differences at a Glance
Los Angeles
Median Home Value
$78k less
$822,600 vs $900,600
Thousand Oaks
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 113.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$49,155
$125,399 vs $76,244/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
86% lower
102.2 vs 728.5 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
4.8% vs 7.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Los Angeles, CA | Thousand Oaks, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $822,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $900,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,791⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,244 | $125,399 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 15.1% | 18.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 143⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.7% | 49.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Los Angeles Unified | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 66.6°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 78.0°F | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 16.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 3,881,041 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.6% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 20.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Los Angeles's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Thousand Oaks is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 16 of 21 categories. Los Angeles wins 5 and Thousand Oaks wins 16. 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 Los Angeles to Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($822,600 vs $900,600 median home), income ($76,244 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Los Angeles, CA and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 29 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.