Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Torrance, CA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Torrance leads 13 of 23 categories
Torrance
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,554 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
82 ✓ Safer
Population
145,454 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Torrance, CA
Pros
Households earn $33,896 more per year on average
29% less violent crime than Visalia
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 76°F vs 94°F
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 55°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $962,300
Higher rents — median is $2,132/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Visalia
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $646k less ($316,600 vs $962,300)
Rent averages $843/mo less ($1,289 vs $2,132)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Torrance
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 21.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Torrance by $33,896/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Torrance
Median Income
$33,896
$109,554 vs $75,658/yr
Torrance
Violent Crime
29% lower
311.2 vs 435.3 per 100k
Visalia
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Home Value
$646k less
$316,600 vs $962,300
Visalia
Summer Heat
18.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 75.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Torrance, CA | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $962,300⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,132⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,554 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.8 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 15.9% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 102⚠ High ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 82 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 132⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 25.1:1 | 21.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.7% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.0% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Torrance Unified | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 75.6°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.8" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 145,454 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 42.9 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Torrance's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Torrance leads 13 of 23 categories. Torrance wins 13 and Visalia wins 10. 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 Torrance to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($962,300 vs $316,600 median home), income ($109,554 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Torrance, CA and Visalia, CA are about 181 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.