Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mission Viejo, CA
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 Mission Viejo leads 15 of 22 categories
Mission Viejo
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,570 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
26 ✓ Safer
Population
93,233
Vacaville
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$106,764
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
101,631 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Mission Viejo, CA
Pros
66% less violent crime than Vacaville
Households earn $29,806 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (99.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 51.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 95°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $883,600
Higher rents — median is $2,622/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Vacaville
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Homes cost $323k less ($560,400 vs $883,600)
Rent averages $481/mo less ($2,141 vs $2,622)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Mission Viejo
Cons
Median income trails Mission Viejo by $29,806/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Mission Viejo
Median Income
$29,806
$136,570 vs $106,764/yr
Mission Viejo
Violent Crime
66% lower
99.2 vs 293.2 per 100k
Mission Viejo
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
Vacaville
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 109.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Vacaville
Median Home Value
$323k less
$560,400 vs $883,600
Vacaville
Summer Heat
15.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 79.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mission Viejo, CA | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $883,600⚠ High | $560,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,622⚠ High | $2,141⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,570 ✓ Higher | $106,764 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min ✓ Shorter | 28.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 18.4% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 38 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 26 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 83 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 21.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 51.2% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 91.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Saddleback Valley Unified | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.4°F ✓ Warmer | 57.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 79.5°F | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.2" ✓ Drier | 24.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 93,233 | 101,631 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.5% ✓ Higher | 66.2% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 22.1% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mission Viejo's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Vacaville is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Mission Viejo leads 15 of 22 categories. Mission Viejo wins 15 and Vacaville wins 7. 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 Mission Viejo to Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($883,600 vs $560,400 median home), income ($136,570 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mission Viejo, CA and Vacaville, CA are about 407 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.