Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Roseville, CA
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 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
Wichita
Kansas
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Roseville, CA
Pros
Households earn $51,553 more per year on average
59% less violent crime than Wichita
Violent crime is well below the national average (219.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.5%)
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 44°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $596,700
Higher rents — median is $1,940/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than Wichita
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $430k less ($166,400 vs $596,700)
Rent averages $1025/mo less ($915 vs $1,940)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Roseville
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Roseville by $51,553/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Roseville
Median Income
$51,553
$112,265 vs $60,712/yr
Roseville
Violent Crime
59% lower
219.2 vs 538.6 per 100k
Roseville
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.7% unemployment
Wichita
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 108.9 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$430k less
$166,400 vs $596,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Roseville, CA | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.9⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $596,700⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,940⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $112,265 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.1% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 62 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 68 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.6:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.5% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Roseville City Elementary | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.0°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.6°F ✓ Warmer | 92.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.2" ✓ Drier | 35.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 148,879 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.8 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 68.1% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.1% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Roseville's cost of living index is 108.9 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Roseville leads 16 of 23 categories. Roseville wins 16 and Wichita 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 Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($596,700 vs $166,400 median home), income ($112,265 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Roseville, CA and Wichita, KS are about 1,300 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.