Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clarita, CA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Santa Clarita leads 13 of 22 categories
Santa Clarita
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$116,186 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
225,850 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
62% less violent crime than Visalia
Households earn $40,528 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 38.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 55°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $669,200
Higher rents — median is $2,315/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Visalia
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $353k less ($316,600 vs $669,200)
Rent averages $1026/mo less ($1,289 vs $2,315)
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clarita
Smaller class sizes — 21.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clarita by $40,528/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clarita
Median Income
$40,528
$116,186 vs $75,658/yr
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
62% lower
165.4 vs 435.3 per 100k
Visalia
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Home Value
$353k less
$316,600 vs $669,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clarita, CA | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $669,200⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,315⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $116,186 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.2 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.7% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 21.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.7% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 91.0% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Saugus Union | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 93.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.5" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,850 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.1% ✓ Higher | 60.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.4% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clarita's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Santa Clarita leads 13 of 22 categories. Santa Clarita wins 13 and Visalia 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 Santa Clarita to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($669,200 vs $316,600 median home), income ($116,186 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clarita, CA and Visalia, CA are about 140 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.