Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Simi Valley, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Simi Valley leads 14 of 22 categories
Simi Valley
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$112,144 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
126,153
Waco
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
140,545 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Simi Valley, CA
Pros
Households earn $64,723 more per year on average
70% less violent crime than Waco
Violent crime is well below the national average (129.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 36.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $704,200
Higher rents — median is $2,402/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Waco
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $530k less ($174,100 vs $704,200)
Rent averages $1364/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,402)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Simi Valley
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Simi Valley by $64,723/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Simi Valley
Median Income
$64,723
$112,144 vs $47,421/yr
Simi Valley
Violent Crime
70% lower
129.1 vs 425.9 per 100k
Waco
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$530k less
$174,100 vs $704,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Simi Valley, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.5⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $704,200⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,402⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $112,144 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.4 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.2% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 38 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 34 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.9:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.0% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 91.3% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Simi Valley Unified | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.1°F ✓ Warmer | 94.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.4" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,153 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.2 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.8% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.5% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Simi Valley's cost of living index is 113.5 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Simi Valley leads 14 of 22 categories. Simi Valley wins 14 and Waco wins 8. 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 Simi Valley to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($704,200 vs $174,100 median home), income ($112,144 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Simi Valley, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,262 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.