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Compare towns

Palmdale vs Visalia

138 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (11.7× in Palmdale) and street grid (3× in Visalia).

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Palmdale, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 164,634 people
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Visalia, CAHomes around $398KCalifornia · 143,939 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $690 more a month in Palmdale

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Palmdale$3,020/mo
Typical home $500K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $1,802/mo · Housing →
Visalia$2,330/mo
Typical home $398K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $1,490/mo · Housing →

The difference: $690 a month, about $8,300 a year, between Palmdale and Visalia.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Visalia places higher on 15 of 22 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
PalmdaleVisalia
Snow a year0″0″
January low35°F38°F
July high98°F94°F
Growing season (days)248d328d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th69th
Outdoors & history
PalmdaleVisalia
Conserved land7.7%4.3%
Settled18861874
National Register places—4
Archive photos912
Famous people born here3756
Community
PalmdaleVisalia
Library hours a week56 hrs43 hrs
Colleges in town—2
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

138 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Palmdale ↔ Visalia138 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

PalmdaleVisalia
People
Population 164,634Highest 143,939Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.9%Lowest CA: +6.1% +13.6%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 33±0.8Lowest 13% below CA 33.9±0.6Highest 11% below CA
Visalia and Palmdale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.5%±1.2Highest CA: 22% 27.9%±1.2Lowest CA: 22%
Palmdale and Visalia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.1%±0.7Lowest CA: 15.7% 13.5%±0.7Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.1%Lowest CA: 37.1% 24.1%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.1%±0.5Highest CA: 7.6% 6.8%±0.6Lowest CA: 7.6%
Palmdale and Visalia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $81,770±$3kLowest 18% below CA $81,989±$3kHighest 17% below CA
Visalia and Palmdale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $471,000±$7kHighest 36% below CA $371,500±$9kLowest 49% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,802±$60Highest 11% below CA $1,490±$43Lowest 27% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,493Highest 12% below CA $2,741Lowest 47% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 64%±4.8Highest CA: 55.3% 50.2%±3.2Lowest CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 15.7%Highest CA: 12% 11.5%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66.2%Highest CA: 55.9% 61.1%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1989Highest 13 yrs newer than CA 1988Lowest 12 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 40 minHighest 39% above CA 23 minLowest 20% below CA
Work from home 9.1%±0.9Highest CA: 17.2% 8%±1.1Lowest CA: 17.2%
Palmdale and Visalia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 15.3%Lowest 44.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 34.8 miHighest 7.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.57Lowest 1.15Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (22%)Fresno (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in VisaliaFew work in Palmdale
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.7%Highest 4.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 189.1 miHighest 16.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 15Lowest 41Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 34.7Lowest 103Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #484 of 574 in CA#185 of 574 in CA
School district Antelope Valley ROP · Antelope Valley Union HighVisalia Unified · Tulare County Office of Education
High school in town Highland HighRedwood High
Students per teacherat that high school 25.2Highest 24.1Lowest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Palmdale neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Palmdale Hidden Gems

1 neighbor in Palmdale can answer.

Visalia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Visalia’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Palmdale

Towns like Palmdale

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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