Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New York, NY
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 15 of 23 categories
New York
New York
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,607 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
177⚠ High
Population
8,622,467 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
15
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.
New York, NY
Pros
More college-educated — 40.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $732,100
Violent crime (671.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,714/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $416k less ($316,600 vs $732,100)
35% less violent crime than New York
Commutes run 19 min shorter each way
Rent averages $425/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,714)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (5.6%)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than New York
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
New York
Median Income
$949
$76,607 vs $75,658/yr
Visalia
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Violent Crime
35% lower
435.3 vs 671.0 per 100k
Visalia
Median Home Value
$416k less
$316,600 vs $732,100
Visalia
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
5.6% vs 7.6% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
9.0°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 84.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New York, NY | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $732,100⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,714⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,607 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.6%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 41.1 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 151⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 177⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.2% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 83.3% | 86.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.7°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.5" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 8,622,467 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 37.5 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 32.9% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.5% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New York's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 15 of 23 categories. New York wins 8 and Visalia wins 15. 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 New York to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($732,100 vs $316,600 median home), income ($76,607 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New York, NY and Visalia, CA are about 2,445 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.