Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Manchester, NH
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Manchester leads 12 of 23 categories
Manchester
New Hampshire
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$74,040
Violent Crime Index
88 ✓ Safer
Population
115,037
Visalia
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Manchester, NH
Pros
23% less violent crime than Visalia
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.2%)
More college-educated — 32.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Snowy winters — about 53" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Visalia
Visalia, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 32°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Manchester
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Manchester
Violent Crime
23% lower
336.0 vs 435.3 per 100k
Manchester
Median Home Value
$12k less
$304,700 vs $316,600
Manchester
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.2% vs 5.6% unemployment
Visalia
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 104.2 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Income
$1,618
$75,658 vs $74,040/yr
Visalia
Summer Heat
12.7°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 81.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Manchester, NH | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.2⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $304,700 ✓ Lower | $316,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,362⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,040 | $75,658 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.2 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.5% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 88 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 32.3% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 88.3% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Manchester School District | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 31.7°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 81.1°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.5" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 52.8" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 115,037 | 141,466 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.0 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.2% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.4% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Manchester's cost of living index is 104.2 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Manchester leads 12 of 23 categories. Manchester wins 12 and Visalia wins 11. 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 Manchester to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($304,700 vs $316,600 median home), income ($74,040 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Manchester, NH and Visalia, CA are about 2,553 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.