Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Mateo, CA
VS
West Valley City, UT
🏆 San Mateo leads 12 of 23 categories
San Mateo
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,152 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
104,165
West Valley City
Utah
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,719
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
138,868 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Mateo, CA
Pros
Households earn $67,433 more per year on average
48% less violent crime than West Valley City
More college-educated — 58.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (243.2 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 94°F
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,508,900
Higher rents — median is $2,971/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than West Valley City
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
West Valley City, UT
Pros
Homes cost $1175k less ($333,600 vs $1,508,900)
Rent averages $1611/mo less ($1,360 vs $2,971)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than San Mateo
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.0%)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails San Mateo by $67,433/yr
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 52" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
San Mateo
Median Income
$67,433
$149,152 vs $81,719/yr
San Mateo
Violent Crime
48% lower
243.2 vs 469.5 per 100k
West Valley City
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 96.7 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
West Valley City
Median Home Value
$1175k less
$333,600 vs $1,508,900
West Valley City
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.0% vs 4.7% unemployment
West Valley City
Summer Heat
21.4°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 72.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Mateo, CA | West Valley City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 96.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,508,900⚠ High | $333,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,971⚠ High | $1,360⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,152 ✓ Higher | $81,719 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.9% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 64 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 | 88 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.2% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Mateo-Foster City | Granite District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 72.6°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.3" | 17.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 51.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 104,165 | 138,868 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 30.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | 31.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.4% ✓ More | 9.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Mateo's cost of living index is 118.2 vs West Valley City's 96.7 (US average = 100).
West Valley City is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Mateo leads 12 of 23 categories. San Mateo wins 12 and West Valley City wins 11. 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 West Valley City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,508,900 vs $333,600 median home), income ($149,152 vs $81,719), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Mateo, CA and West Valley City, UT are about 592 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.