Fort Lauderdale FL vs Thousand Oaks CA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026
Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Florida · Population: 183,032
- Median HH Income$79,935
- Median Home Price$510,297
- Unemployment5.3%
- Bachelor's+39.8%
Thousand Oaks, CA
California · Population: N/A
- Median HH IncomeN/A
- Median Home Price$1,053,424
- UnemploymentN/A
- Bachelor's+N/A
Detailed Comparison
Demographics
Population
Fort Lauderdale
183,032
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Median Age
Fort Lauderdale
42.9
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Foreign Born
Fort Lauderdale
26.7%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
White
Fort Lauderdale
51.3%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Black
Fort Lauderdale
28.8%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Asian
Fort Lauderdale
1.6%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Hispanic
Fort Lauderdale
20.1%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Spanish at Home
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
Thousand Oaks
N/A
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 183,032 | N/A | - |
| Pop. Density / sq miLower = more space | N/A | N/A | - |
| Median Age | 42.9 | N/A | - |
| Foreign Born | 26.7% | N/A | - |
| White | 51.3% | N/A | - |
| Black | 28.8% | N/A | - |
| Asian | 1.6% | N/A | - |
| Hispanic | 20.1% | N/A | - |
| Spanish at Home | N/A | N/A | - |
Economy
Median HH Income
Fort Lauderdale
$79,935
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Per Capita Income
Fort Lauderdale
$57,845
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Fort Lauderdale
$65,328
Thousand Oaks
$77,230
Thousand Oaks +
Unemployment Rate
Fort Lauderdale
5.3%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Poverty Rate
Fort Lauderdale
15.2%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Bachelor's Degree+
Fort Lauderdale
39.8%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median HH Income | $79,935 | N/A | - |
| Per Capita Income | $57,845 | N/A | - |
| Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)BEA MSA-level | $65,328 | $77,230 | Thousand Oaks + |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | N/A | - |
| Poverty Rate | 15.2% | N/A | - |
| Bachelor's Degree+ | 39.8% | N/A | - |
Housing
Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Fort Lauderdale
$510,297
Fort Lauderdale +
Thousand Oaks
$1,053,424
Homeownership Rate
Fort Lauderdale
53.8%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home ValueZillow ZHVI / Census ACS | $510,297 | $1,053,424 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.8% | N/A | - |
Safety
Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Fort Lauderdale
324
Fort Lauderdale +
Thousand Oaks
503
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Fort Lauderdale
1453
Fort Lauderdale +
Thousand Oaks
2388
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 324 | 503 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Property Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 1453 | 2388 | Fort Lauderdale + |
Health
Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
30.3%
Thousand Oaks
23.0%
Thousand Oaks +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
12.8%
Thousand Oaks
10.1%
Thousand Oaks +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Fort Lauderdale
16.2%
Thousand Oaks
15.0%
Thousand Oaks +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
14.7%
Thousand Oaks
5.8%
Thousand Oaks +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
14.9%
Fort Lauderdale +
Thousand Oaks
15.7%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
13.0%
Thousand Oaks
8.6%
Thousand Oaks +
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity RateCDC PLACES | 30.3% | 23.0% | Thousand Oaks + |
| Diabetes RateCDC PLACES | 12.8% | 10.1% | Thousand Oaks + |
| Poor Mental HealthCDC PLACES — 14+ days/month | 16.2% | 15.0% | Thousand Oaks + |
| No Health InsuranceCDC PLACES | 14.7% | 5.8% | Thousand Oaks + |
| Binge DrinkingCDC PLACES | 14.9% | 15.7% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Current SmokersCDC PLACES | 13.0% | 8.6% | Thousand Oaks + |
Climate
Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Fort Lauderdale
75.5°F
Thousand Oaks
62.7°F
Thousand Oaks +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Fort Lauderdale
66.5 in
Thousand Oaks
16.5 in
Thousand Oaks +
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Annual TempNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 75.5°F | 62.7°F | Thousand Oaks + |
| Annual PrecipitationNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 66.5 in | 16.5 in | Thousand Oaks + |
Air Quality
PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Fort Lauderdale
7.2 µg/m³
Fort Lauderdale +
Thousand Oaks
7.9 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Fort Lauderdale
75.0%
Thousand Oaks
75.0%
Tie
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 Annual AvgEPA AQS (state-level est.) | 7.2 µg/m³ | 7.9 µg/m³ | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Good Air DaysAQI ≤ 50 | 75.0% | 75.0% | Tie |
Commute
Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Fort Lauderdale
28.5 min
Thousand Oaks
N/A
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute TimeCensus ACS | 28.5 min | N/A | - |
Which City is Right for You?
Fort Lauderdale offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $510,297. On public safety, Fort Lauderdale is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Thousand Oaks. Fort Lauderdale has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Thousand Oaks scores better with a lower obesity rate of 23.0%.
Compare More Cities
Fort Lauderdale, FL vs New York, NYFort Lauderdale, FL vs Los Angeles, CAChicago, IL vs Fort Lauderdale, FLFort Lauderdale, FL vs Houston, TXFort Lauderdale, FL vs Phoenix, AZFort Lauderdale, FL vs Philadelphia, PA