Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Raleigh, NC
VS
Simi Valley, CA
🏆 Simi Valley leads 13 of 23 categories
Raleigh
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,631
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Simi Valley
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$112,144 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
126,153
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Homes cost $357k less ($347,000 vs $704,200)
Rent averages $1031/mo less ($1,371 vs $2,402)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Simi Valley
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Simi Valley by $33,513/yr
Violent crime (488.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2819.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Simi Valley, CA
Pros
74% less violent crime than Raleigh
Households earn $33,513 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (129.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 52°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $704,200
Higher rents — median is $2,402/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Raleigh
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Raleigh
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Raleigh
Median Home Value
$357k less
$347,000 vs $704,200
Simi Valley
Median Income
$33,513
$112,144 vs $78,631/yr
Simi Valley
Violent Crime
74% lower
129.1 vs 488.8 per 100k
Simi Valley
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.1°F vs 90.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Raleigh, NC | Simi Valley, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $347,000⚠ High ✓ Lower | $704,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,371⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,402⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,631 | $112,144 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 28.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 20.1% ✓ Higher | 14.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 131⚠ High | 38 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 134⚠ High | 44 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.7% ✓ Higher | 36.0% |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% ✓ Higher | 91.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Simi Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.7°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 95.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.1" | 17.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 465,517 ✓ Larger | 126,153 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 41.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.1% | 72.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.4% | 16.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Raleigh's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Simi Valley's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Raleigh is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Simi Valley leads 13 of 23 categories. Raleigh wins 10 and Simi Valley 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 Raleigh to Simi Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($347,000 vs $704,200 median home), income ($78,631 vs $112,144), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Raleigh, NC and Simi Valley, CA are about 2,255 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.