Tempe AZ 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)
Tempe, AZ
Arizona · Population: 186,419
- Median HH Income$77,643
- Median Home Price$468,328
- Unemployment5.7%
- Bachelor's+49.5%
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
Tempe
186,419
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Tempe
N/A
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Median Age
Tempe
29.9
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Foreign Born
Tempe
13.9%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
White
Tempe
60.1%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Black
Tempe
7.8%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Asian
Tempe
9.5%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Hispanic
Tempe
23.1%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Spanish at Home
Tempe
N/A
Thousand Oaks
N/A
| Metric | Tempe, AZ | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 186,419 | N/A | - |
| Pop. Density / sq miLower = more space | N/A | N/A | - |
| Median Age | 29.9 | N/A | - |
| Foreign Born | 13.9% | N/A | - |
| White | 60.1% | N/A | - |
| Black | 7.8% | N/A | - |
| Asian | 9.5% | N/A | - |
| Hispanic | 23.1% | N/A | - |
| Spanish at Home | N/A | N/A | - |
Economy
Median HH Income
Tempe
$77,643
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Per Capita Income
Tempe
$42,371
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Tempe
$59,120
Thousand Oaks
$77,230
Thousand Oaks +
Unemployment Rate
Tempe
5.7%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Poverty Rate
Tempe
16.2%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
Bachelor's Degree+
Tempe
49.5%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
| Metric | Tempe, AZ | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median HH Income | $77,643 | N/A | - |
| Per Capita Income | $42,371 | N/A | - |
| Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)BEA MSA-level | $59,120 | $77,230 | Thousand Oaks + |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7% | N/A | - |
| Poverty Rate | 16.2% | N/A | - |
| Bachelor's Degree+ | 49.5% | N/A | - |
Housing
Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Tempe
$468,328
Tempe +
Thousand Oaks
$1,053,424
Homeownership Rate
Tempe
41.6%
Thousand Oaks
N/A
| Metric | Tempe, AZ | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home ValueZillow ZHVI / Census ACS | $468,328 | $1,053,424 | Tempe + |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.6% | N/A | - |
Safety
Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Tempe
450
Tempe +
Thousand Oaks
503
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Tempe
2150
Tempe +
Thousand Oaks
2388
| Metric | Tempe, AZ | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 450 | 503 | Tempe + |
| Property Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 2150 | 2388 | Tempe + |
Health
Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Tempe
27.2%
Thousand Oaks
23.0%
Thousand Oaks +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Tempe
7.2%
Tempe +
Thousand Oaks
10.1%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Tempe
16.6%
Thousand Oaks
15.0%
Thousand Oaks +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Tempe
10.7%
Thousand Oaks
5.8%
Thousand Oaks +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Tempe
18.3%
Thousand Oaks
15.7%
Thousand Oaks +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Tempe
9.1%
Thousand Oaks
8.6%
Thousand Oaks +
| Metric | Tempe, AZ | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity RateCDC PLACES | 27.2% | 23.0% | Thousand Oaks + |
| Diabetes RateCDC PLACES | 7.2% | 10.1% | Tempe + |
| Poor Mental HealthCDC PLACES — 14+ days/month | 16.6% | 15.0% | Thousand Oaks + |
| No Health InsuranceCDC PLACES | 10.7% | 5.8% | Thousand Oaks + |
| Binge DrinkingCDC PLACES | 18.3% | 15.7% | Thousand Oaks + |
| Current SmokersCDC PLACES | 9.1% | 8.6% | Thousand Oaks + |
Climate
Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Tempe
71.3°F
Thousand Oaks
62.7°F
Thousand Oaks +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Tempe
9.3 in
Tempe +
Thousand Oaks
16.5 in
| Metric | Tempe, AZ | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Annual TempNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 71.3°F | 62.7°F | Thousand Oaks + |
| Annual PrecipitationNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 9.3 in | 16.5 in | Tempe + |
Air Quality
PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Tempe
7.1 µg/m³
Tempe +
Thousand Oaks
7.9 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Tempe
75.0%
Thousand Oaks
75.0%
Tie
| Metric | Tempe, AZ | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 Annual AvgEPA AQS (state-level est.) | 7.1 µg/m³ | 7.9 µg/m³ | Tempe + |
| Good Air DaysAQI ≤ 50 | 75.0% | 75.0% | Tie |
Commute
Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Tempe
23.2 min
Thousand Oaks
N/A
| Metric | Tempe, AZ | Thousand Oaks, CA | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute TimeCensus ACS | 23.2 min | N/A | - |
Which City is Right for You?
Tempe offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $468,328. On public safety, Tempe is safer with a violent crime rate of 450 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Thousand Oaks. Tempe has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.1 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Thousand Oaks scores better with a lower obesity rate of 23.0%.
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