Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clara, CA
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Santa Clara leads 12 of 22 categories
Santa Clara
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
128,058 ✓ Larger
Thousand Oaks
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399
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.
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
Households earn $39,953 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 64.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.2%)
Smaller class sizes — 19.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,440,200
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Higher rents — median is $2,841/mo
Property crime (2501.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
Homes cost $540k less ($900,600 vs $1,440,200)
44% less violent crime than Santa Clara
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $358/mo less ($2,483 vs $2,841)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 60°F
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clara by $39,953/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clara
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 112.9 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Santa Clara
Median Income
$39,953
$165,352 vs $125,399/yr
Santa Clara
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.2% vs 4.8% unemployment
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
44% lower
102.2 vs 182.0 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Median Home Value
$540k less
$900,600 vs $1,440,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clara, CA | Thousand Oaks, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $1,440,200⚠ High | $900,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,841⚠ High | $2,483⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $165,352 ✓ Higher | $125,399 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 25.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 21.9% ✓ Higher | 18.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 64.6% ✓ Higher | 49.6% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 94.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Clara Unified | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.8°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.8°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.6" ✓ Drier | 16.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 128,058 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 20.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clara's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Santa Clara is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Santa Clara leads 12 of 22 categories. Santa Clara wins 12 and Thousand Oaks wins 10. 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 Santa Clara to Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,440,200 vs $900,600 median home), income ($165,352 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clara, CA and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 279 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.