Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Vallejo, CA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 15 of 23 categories
Vallejo
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,112 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
195⚠ High
Population
125,132
Visalia
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
141,466 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Vallejo, CA
Pros
Households earn $10,454 more per year on average
More college-educated — 27.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $515,500
Higher rents — median is $1,894/mo
Violent crime (739.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3990.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $199k less ($316,600 vs $515,500)
Rent averages $605/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,894)
41% less violent crime than Vallejo
Commutes run 15 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (5.6%)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Vallejo
Cons
Median income trails Vallejo by $10,454/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Vallejo
Median Income
$10,454
$86,112 vs $75,658/yr
Visalia
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Violent Crime
41% lower
435.3 vs 739.8 per 100k
Visalia
Median Home Value
$199k less
$316,600 vs $515,500
Visalia
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
5.6% vs 7.0% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
8.4°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 85.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Vallejo, CA | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 109.2⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $515,500⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,894⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,112 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.7 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.0% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 193⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 195⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 190⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 21.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.5% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 87.1% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Vallejo City Unified | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.3°F ✓ Warmer | 55.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.4°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 21.5" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 125,132 | 141,466 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.4 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.7% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.0% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Vallejo's cost of living index is 109.2 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 15 of 23 categories. Vallejo wins 8 and Visalia wins 15. 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 Vallejo to Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($515,500 vs $316,600 median home), income ($86,112 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Vallejo, CA and Visalia, CA are about 203 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.