Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Raleigh, NC
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 12 of 23 categories
Raleigh
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,631
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Thousand Oaks
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
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.
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Homes cost $554k less ($347,000 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $1112/mo less ($1,371 vs $2,483)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Thousand Oaks
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $46,768/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
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
79% less violent crime than Raleigh
Households earn $46,768 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 52°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 78°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/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
$554k less
$347,000 vs $900,600
Raleigh
Summer Heat
12.6°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 78.0°F
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$46,768
$125,399 vs $78,631/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
79% lower
102.2 vs 488.8 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Raleigh, NC | Thousand Oaks, 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 | $900,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,371⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,631 | $125,399 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 25.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 20.1% ✓ Higher | 18.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 131⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 134⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.7% ✓ Higher | 49.6% |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.7°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.1" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 465,517 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.1% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.4% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Raleigh's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Raleigh is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 12 of 23 categories. Raleigh wins 11 and Thousand Oaks wins 12. 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 Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($347,000 vs $900,600 median home), income ($78,631 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Raleigh, NC and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 2,264 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.