Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Thousand Oaks, CA
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 15 of 23 categories
Thousand Oaks
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532
Wichita
Kansas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
Households earn $64,687 more per year on average
81% less violent crime than Wichita
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.8%)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 44°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Wichita
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $734k less ($166,400 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $1568/mo less ($915 vs $2,483)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Thousand Oaks
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $64,687/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$64,687
$125,399 vs $60,712/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
81% lower
102.2 vs 538.6 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.7% unemployment
Wichita
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$734k less
$166,400 vs $900,600
Wichita
Summer Heat
14.6°F warmer
July avg high 92.6°F vs 78.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Thousand Oaks, CA | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.5⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $900,600⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,483⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,399 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.4% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.9:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 49.6% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Conejo Valley Unified | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.0°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.1" ✓ Drier | 35.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,532 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 44.4 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.2% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.9% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Thousand Oaks's cost of living index is 113.5 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 15 of 23 categories. Thousand Oaks wins 15 and Wichita 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 Thousand Oaks to Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($900,600 vs $166,400 median home), income ($125,399 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Thousand Oaks, CA and Wichita, KS are about 1,225 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.