Daly City CA vs Simi Valley CA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Daly City, CA

California · Population: 102,560

  • Median HH Income$119,570
  • Median Home Price$1,134,511
  • Unemployment5.0%
  • Bachelor's+38.0%

Simi Valley, CA

California · Population: 125,769

  • Median HH Income$117,703
  • Median Home Price$839,862
  • Unemployment4.5%
  • Bachelor's+37.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Daly City
102,560
Simi Valley
125,769
Simi Valley +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Daly City
N/A
Simi Valley
N/A
Median Age
Daly City
41.7
Daly City +
Simi Valley
41.8
Foreign Born
Daly City
50.9%
Daly City +
Simi Valley
18.2%
White
Daly City
16.4%
Simi Valley
63.3%
Simi Valley +
Black
Daly City
3.0%
Daly City +
Simi Valley
1.4%
Asian
Daly City
58.8%
Daly City +
Simi Valley
10.7%
Hispanic
Daly City
21.4%
Simi Valley
27.1%
Simi Valley +
Spanish at Home
Daly City
N/A
Simi Valley
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Daly City
$119,570
Daly City +
Simi Valley
$117,703
Per Capita Income
Daly City
$48,219
Simi Valley
$53,828
Simi Valley +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Daly City
$77,230
Simi Valley
$77,230
Tie
Unemployment Rate
Daly City
5.0%
Simi Valley
4.5%
Simi Valley +
Poverty Rate
Daly City
7.2%
Simi Valley
6.7%
Simi Valley +
Bachelor's Degree+
Daly City
38.0%
Daly City +
Simi Valley
37.5%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Daly City
$1,134,511
Simi Valley
$839,862
Simi Valley +
Homeownership Rate
Daly City
60.5%
Simi Valley
73.0%
Simi Valley +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Daly City
503
Simi Valley
503
Tie
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Daly City
2388
Simi Valley
2388
Tie

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Daly City
20.0%
Daly City +
Simi Valley
24.4%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Daly City
12.0%
Simi Valley
10.3%
Simi Valley +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Daly City
13.3%
Daly City +
Simi Valley
16.3%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Daly City
7.9%
Simi Valley
7.4%
Simi Valley +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Daly City
12.5%
Daly City +
Simi Valley
16.3%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Daly City
8.7%
Daly City +
Simi Valley
10.1%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Daly City
N/A
Simi Valley
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Daly City
N/A
Simi Valley
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Daly City
7.9 µg/m³
Simi Valley
7.9 µg/m³
Tie
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Daly City
75.0%
Simi Valley
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Daly City
31.9 min
Simi Valley
31.0 min
Simi Valley +

Which City is Right for You?

Daly City leads in median household income at $119,570, while simi Valley offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $839,862. On public safety, Simi Valley is safer with a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Daly City. Simi Valley has a lower unemployment rate at 4.5%, and Simi Valley has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Daly City scores better with a lower obesity rate of 20.0%.

Compare More Cities

About Daly City & Simi Valley