Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Thousand Oaks, CA
VS
Westminster, CO
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 17 of 23 categories
Thousand Oaks
California
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532 ✓ Larger
Westminster
Colorado
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$90,651
Violent Crime Index
80
Population
115,502
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
66% less violent crime than Westminster
Households earn $34,748 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 48°F
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 78°F vs 91°F
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)
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 4.1%)
Westminster, CO
Pros
Homes cost $433k less ($467,200 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $751/mo less ($1,732 vs $2,483)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.1%)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Thousand Oaks
Smaller class sizes — 18.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $34,748/yr
Property crime (3540.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 55" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$34,748
$125,399 vs $90,651/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
66% lower
102.2 vs 303.6 per 100k
Westminster
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Westminster
Median Home Value
$433k less
$467,200 vs $900,600
Westminster
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.1% vs 4.8% unemployment
Westminster
Summer Heat
13.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 78.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Thousand Oaks, CA | Westminster, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.5⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $900,600⚠ High | $467,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,483⚠ High | $1,732⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,399 ✓ Higher | $90,651 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 18.4% ✓ Higher | 15.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 ✓ Safer | 80 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.9:1 | 18.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 49.6% ✓ Higher | 42.2% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 92.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Conejo Valley Unified | Westminster Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer | 48.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.0°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.1" ✓ Drier | 17.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 54.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,532 ✓ Larger | 115,502 |
| Median Age | 44.4 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.2% ✓ Higher | 63.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 19.9% ✓ More | 14.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Thousand Oaks's cost of living index is 113.5 vs Westminster's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Westminster is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 17 of 23 categories. Thousand Oaks wins 17 and Westminster wins 6. 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 Westminster or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($900,600 vs $467,200 median home), income ($125,399 vs $90,651), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Thousand Oaks, CA and Westminster, CO are about 856 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.