Benicia vs Fairfield
Benicia, California versus Fairfield, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Benicia edges out Fairfield on overall objective livability (53 vs 47 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Benicia | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $124k | $99k |
| Cost of Living | $76k | $69k |
| Home Value | $737k | $546k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.67% | 0.76% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 20.19% | 20.43% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 49°F | 48°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 21.5 in | 24.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 284 days | 284 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 139 days | 120 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 58.1 | 70.5 |
| Air Quality | 18 AQI | 30 AQI |
| School Quality | 51.3 | 50.4 |
| Violent Crime | 617/100k | 1433/100k |
| Property Crime | 1628/100k | 2555/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 27,040 | 119,420 |
| Median Age | 45.3 | 35.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.52 | 0.75 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | D+31 |
| White (%) | 60.1% | 28.4% |
| Black (%) | 3.6% | 15.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 15.0% | 29.9% |
| Asian (%) | 11.7% | 17.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 9.6% | 8.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 33 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 11.9/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 25 mi | 38 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.7% | 93.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 55.47 | 10.30 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Benicia or Fairfield more affordable?
- Fairfield has the lower cost of living: its index is $69k, compared with Benicia's $76k and Fairfield's $69k. Median rent is $2k in Benicia versus $2k in Fairfield.
- Is Benicia or Fairfield safer?
- Benicia has the lower violent crime rate. Benicia reports 617/100k and Fairfield reports 1433/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Benicia or Fairfield?
- The median home value is $737k in Benicia and $546k in Fairfield, so homes are more affordable in Fairfield.