Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Mateo, CA
VS
Victorville, CA
🏆 San Mateo leads 13 of 22 categories
San Mateo
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,152 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
104,165
Victorville
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$65,746
Violent Crime Index
267⚠ High
Population
134,417 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Mateo, CA
Pros
Households earn $83,406 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Victorville
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.6 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 58.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (243.2 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,508,900
Higher rents — median is $2,971/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Victorville
Victorville, CA
Pros
Homes cost $1208k less ($300,600 vs $1,508,900)
Rent averages $1510/mo less ($1,461 vs $2,971)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than San Mateo
Cons
Median income trails San Mateo by $83,406/yr
Violent crime (1015.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.3% vs 4.7%)
Longer commutes — 40.5 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
San Mateo
Median Income
$83,406
$149,152 vs $65,746/yr
San Mateo
Violent Crime
76% lower
243.2 vs 1015.6 per 100k
San Mateo
Unemployment
5.6 pp lower
4.7% vs 10.3% unemployment
Victorville
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Victorville
Median Home Value
$1208k less
$300,600 vs $1,508,900
Victorville
Summer Heat
24.9°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 72.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Mateo, CA | Victorville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,508,900⚠ High | $300,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,971⚠ High | $1,461⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,152 ✓ Higher | $65,746 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 40.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 19.9% ✓ Higher | 9.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 64 ✓ Safer | 267⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | C- (57) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.2% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 77.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Mateo-Foster City | Victor Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F | 58.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 72.6°F | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.3" | 5.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 104,165 | 134,417 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 31.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 59.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | 30.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.4% ✓ More | 10.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Mateo's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Victorville's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Victorville is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, San Mateo leads 13 of 22 categories. San Mateo wins 13 and Victorville 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 San Mateo to Victorville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,508,900 vs $300,600 median home), income ($149,152 vs $65,746), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Mateo, CA and Victorville, CA are about 347 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.