Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Roseville, CA
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Roseville leads 16 of 23 categories
Roseville
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$112,265 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
148,879 ✓ Larger
Sparks
Nevada
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,938
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
108,025
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Roseville, CA
Pros
44% less violent crime than Sparks
Households earn $29,327 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (219.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.5%)
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 48°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $596,700
Higher rents — median is $1,940/mo
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Sparks
Sparks, NV
Pros
Homes cost $173k less ($423,500 vs $596,700)
Rent averages $414/mo less ($1,526 vs $1,940)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Roseville
Smaller class sizes — 19.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Roseville by $29,327/yr
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 4.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Roseville
Median Income
$29,327
$112,265 vs $82,938/yr
Roseville
Violent Crime
44% lower
219.2 vs 394.4 per 100k
Roseville
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.1% unemployment
Sparks
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 103.2 vs 108.9 (100 = US avg)
Sparks
Median Home Value
$173k less
$423,500 vs $596,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Roseville, CA | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.9⚠ High | 103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $596,700⚠ High | $423,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,940⚠ High | $1,526⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $112,265 ✓ Higher | $82,938 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 62 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 68 ✓ Safer | 123⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.6:1 | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 25.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Roseville City Elementary | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.0°F ✓ Warmer | 48.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.6°F ✓ Warmer | 92.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.2" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 148,879 ✓ Larger | 108,025 |
| Median Age | 39.8 ✓ Older | 37.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 68.1% ✓ Higher | 59.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.1% ✓ More | 15.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Roseville's cost of living index is 108.9 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Sparks is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Roseville leads 16 of 23 categories. Roseville wins 16 and Sparks wins 7. 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 Roseville to Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($596,700 vs $423,500 median home), income ($112,265 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Roseville, CA and Sparks, NV are about 102 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.