Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Monica, CA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 13 of 23 categories
Santa Monica
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,797 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
205⚠ High
Population
92,168
Visalia
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
141,466 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Monica, CA
Pros
Households earn $31,139 more per year on average
More college-educated — 67.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 69°F vs 94°F
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 55°F
Smaller class sizes — 18.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,654,800
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Violent crime (778.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $1338k less ($316,600 vs $1,654,800)
Rent averages $938/mo less ($1,289 vs $2,227)
44% less violent crime than Santa Monica
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Monica
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.6%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Santa Monica by $31,139/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Monica
Median Income
$31,139
$106,797 vs $75,658/yr
Visalia
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Violent Crime
44% lower
435.3 vs 778.0 per 100k
Visalia
Median Home Value
$1338k less
$316,600 vs $1,654,800
Visalia
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.2% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
24.4°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 69.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Monica, 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 | $1,654,800⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $106,797 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.3 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.8% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 214⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 205⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 228⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 67.8% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 94.7% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.0°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 69.4°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.2" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,168 | 141,466 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.1 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 28.9% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.8% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Monica'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 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 13 of 23 categories. Santa Monica wins 10 and Visalia wins 13. 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 Monica to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,654,800 vs $316,600 median home), income ($106,797 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Monica, CA and Visalia, CA are about 167 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.