Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 Orange leads 14 of 23 categories
Orange
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728 ✓ Larger
Yakima
Washington
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $53,601 more per year on average
58% less violent crime than Yakima
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (4.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 40°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Yakima
Yakima, WA
Pros
Homes cost $605k less ($243,300 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $1134/mo less ($1,014 vs $2,148)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Smaller class sizes — 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $53,601/yr
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$53,601
$109,335 vs $55,734/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
58% lower
226.1 vs 544.3 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
4.7% vs 8.1% unemployment
Yakima
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Yakima
Median Home Value
$605k less
$243,300 vs $848,200
Yakima
Summer Heat
5.8°F warmer
July avg high 88.3°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 17.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 20.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 ✓ Larger | 96,764 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 53.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Yakima is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orange leads 14 of 23 categories. Orange wins 14 and Yakima 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 Orange to Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $243,300 median home), income ($109,335 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Yakima, WA are about 896 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.