Residential comparison · 13 facts
San Mateo, CA vs Vacaville, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in San Mateo needs about $74,000 in Vacaville to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Vacaville, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $96,500 in San Mateo.
A few differences
- San Mateo is higher on median household income ($153,504 vs $111,126).
- Vacaville is lower on cost of living index (133 vs 206).
- Vacaville is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,165/mo vs $3,424/mo).
San Mateo vs Vacaville · facet by facet
| Facet | San Mateo, CA | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,618,700 | $620,900 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,424/mo | $2,165/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 206 | 133 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $153,504 | $111,126 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: San Mateo, CA · Vacaville, CA
Questions & answers
- Is San Mateo cheaper than Vacaville?
- Vacaville has the lower day-to-day cost index (133 vs 206 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Vacaville equals $85,000 in San Mateo?
- A household earning $85,000 in San Mateo needs about $74,000 in Vacaville to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Vacaville lifestyle costs about $96,500 in San Mateo.