Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Oakland, CA
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Savannah leads 13 of 20 categories
Oakland
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,389 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
507⚠ High
Population
437,825 ✓ Larger
Savannah
Georgia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,748
Violent Crime Index
5 ✓ Safer
Population
147,583
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Oakland, CA
Pros
Households earn $39,641 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (5.8%)
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 72°F vs 92°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $883,800
Higher rents — median is $1,849/mo
Violent crime (1925.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Savannah
Savannah, GA
Pros
Homes cost $681k less ($203,300 vs $883,800)
99% less violent crime than Oakland
Rent averages $633/mo less ($1,216 vs $1,849)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Oakland
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Oakland by $39,641/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Oakland
Median Income
$39,641
$94,389 vs $54,748/yr
Oakland
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
5.8% vs 7.2% unemployment
Savannah
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 95.6 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Savannah
Violent Crime
99% lower
20.3 vs 1925.3 per 100k
Savannah
Median Home Value
$681k less
$203,300 vs $883,800
Savannah
Summer Heat
20.7°F warmer
July avg high 92.3°F vs 71.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Oakland, CA | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 95.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $883,800⚠ High | $203,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,849⚠ High | $1,216 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,389 ✓ Higher | $54,748 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.5 min⚠ High | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 20.3% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 400⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 507⚠ High | 5 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 344⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.8:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 85.6% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Oakland Unified | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.8°F | 61.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 71.6°F | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 22.5" ✓ Drier | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 437,825 ✓ Larger | 147,583 |
| Median Age | 37.5 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.1% | 45.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | 20.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.1% | 14.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Oakland's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
Savannah is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Savannah leads 13 of 20 categories. Oakland wins 7 and Savannah wins 13. 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 Oakland to Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($883,800 vs $203,300 median home), income ($94,389 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Oakland, CA and Savannah, GA are about 2,340 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.