Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Thousand Oaks, CA
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 16 of 22 categories
Thousand Oaks
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532 ✓ Larger
Wilmington
North Carolina
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
Households earn $66,491 more per year on average
79% less violent crime than Wilmington
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 78°F vs 90°F
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 57°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Wilmington
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Homes cost $582k less ($318,600 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $1270/mo less ($1,213 vs $2,483)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Thousand Oaks
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $66,491/yr
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$66,491
$125,399 vs $58,908/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
79% lower
102.2 vs 482.8 per 100k
Wilmington
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Median Home Value
$582k less
$318,600 vs $900,600
Wilmington
Summer Heat
12.0°F warmer
July avg high 90.0°F vs 78.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Thousand Oaks, CA | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.5⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $900,600⚠ High | $318,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,483⚠ High | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,399 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.4% ✓ Higher | 14.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.9:1 | 15.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 49.6% ✓ Higher | 43.6% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 93.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Conejo Valley Unified | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.0°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.1" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,532 ✓ Larger | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 44.4 ✓ Older | 37.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.2% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 19.9% ✓ More | 17.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Thousand Oaks's cost of living index is 113.5 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 16 of 22 categories. Thousand Oaks wins 16 and Wilmington 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 Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($900,600 vs $318,600 median home), income ($125,399 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Thousand Oaks, CA and Wilmington, NC are about 2,326 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.