Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Thousand Oaks, CA
VS
West Covina, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 19 of 22 categories
Thousand Oaks
California
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532 ✓ Larger
West Covina
California
3
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$96,219
Violent Crime Index
63
Population
108,173
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
57% less violent crime than West Covina
Households earn $29,180 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (4.8%)
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
West Covina, CA
Pros
Homes cost $236k less ($664,500 vs $900,600)
Violent crime is well below the national average (239.3 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $429/mo less ($2,054 vs $2,483)
Cons
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $29,180/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (6.7% vs 4.8%)
Longer commutes — 33.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Thousand Oaks
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 113.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$29,180
$125,399 vs $96,219/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
57% lower
102.2 vs 239.3 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
4.8% vs 6.7% unemployment
West Covina
Median Home Value
$236k less
$664,500 vs $900,600
West Covina
Summer Heat
12.3°F warmer
July avg high 90.3°F vs 78.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Thousand Oaks, CA | West Covina, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $900,600⚠ High | $664,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,483⚠ High | $2,054⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,399 ✓ Higher | $96,219 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 18.4% ✓ Higher | 9.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 ✓ Safer | 63 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 100 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 49.6% ✓ Higher | 29.8% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 86.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Conejo Valley Unified | West Covina Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer | 67.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.0°F | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.1" ✓ Drier | 16.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,532 ✓ Larger | 108,173 |
| Median Age | 44.4 ✓ Older | 39.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.2% ✓ Higher | 62.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% ✓ More | 19.7% |
| Over 65 | 19.9% ✓ More | 16.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Thousand Oaks's cost of living index is 113.5 vs West Covina's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Thousand Oaks is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 19 of 22 categories. Thousand Oaks wins 19 and West Covina wins 3. 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 Thousand Oaks to West Covina or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($900,600 vs $664,500 median home), income ($125,399 vs $96,219), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Thousand Oaks, CA and West Covina, CA are about 56 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.