Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Murrieta, CA
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 Murrieta leads 14 of 23 categories
Murrieta
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$106,925 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
111,899 ✓ Larger
Vacaville
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,764
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
101,631
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Murrieta, CA
Pros
37% less violent crime than Vacaville
Violent crime is well below the national average (183.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 58°F
More college-educated — 29.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 95°F
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.7% vs 5.4%)
Longer commutes — 35.0 min average each way
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (5.4%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 21.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Murrieta
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
Murrieta
Violent Crime
37% lower
183.7 vs 293.2 per 100k
Vacaville
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.7% unemployment
Vacaville
Summer Heat
7.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 87.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Murrieta, CA | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 109.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $567,700⚠ High | $560,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,150⚠ High | $2,141⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $106,925 ✓ Higher | $106,764 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.7%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.0 min⚠ High | 28.9 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.2% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 47 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 83 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.4:1 | 21.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| High School or Higher | 92.5% ✓ Higher | 91.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Murrieta Valley Unified | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.5°F ✓ Warmer | 57.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" ✓ Drier | 24.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 111,899 ✓ Larger | 101,631 |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.5% ✓ Higher | 66.2% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% ✓ More | 22.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Murrieta's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Murrieta is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Murrieta leads 14 of 23 categories. Murrieta wins 14 and Vacaville wins 9. 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 Murrieta to Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($567,700 vs $560,400 median home), income ($106,925 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Murrieta, CA and Vacaville, CA are about 425 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.