Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 14 of 22 categories
Orange
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335
Violent Crime Index
60
Population
138,728 ✓ Larger
Thousand Oaks
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $335/mo less ($2,148 vs $2,483)
Homes cost $52k less ($848,200 vs $900,600)
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $16,064/yr
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Thousand Oaks
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
55% less violent crime than Orange
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $16,064 more per year on average
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 20.9:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Home Value
$52k less
$848,200 vs $900,600
Orange
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 78.0°F
Thousand Oaks
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 113.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$16,064
$125,399 vs $109,335/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
55% lower
102.2 vs 226.1 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Thousand Oaks, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High ✓ Lower | $900,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 | $125,399 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% | 18.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 20.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% | 49.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 68.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 16.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.5% ✓ More | 20.3% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Thousand Oaks is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 14 of 22 categories. Orange wins 8 and Thousand Oaks wins 14. 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 Orange to Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $900,600 median home), income ($109,335 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 64 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.