Glendale vs Palmdale
Glendale, California versus Palmdale, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Glendale edges out Palmdale on overall objective livability (46 vs 38 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Glendale | Palmdale |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $81k | $78k |
| Cost of Living | $66k | $66k |
| Home Value | $992k | $398k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.63% | 1.04% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 23.92% | 21.51% |
| Unemployment | 8.1% | 7.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 57°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7 in | 7.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 328 days | 328 days |
| Summer Humidity | 42°F | 42°F |
| Comfortable Days | 253 days | 72 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 89.9 | 90.5 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 55 AQI |
| School Quality | 72.3 | 60.1 |
| Violent Crime | 507/100k | 1214/100k |
| Property Crime | 1827/100k | 1550/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 194,512 | 166,895 |
| Median Age | 41.1 | 33.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.74 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+45 | D+45 |
| White (%) | 61.5% | 17.6% |
| Black (%) | 1.7% | 11.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.9% | 63.0% |
| Asian (%) | 13.6% | 4.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.3% | 3.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 41 min |
| Walkability | 10.1/20 | 8.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 20 mi | 48 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.8% | 91.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 30.69 | 7.07 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
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 Glendale or Palmdale more affordable?
- Palmdale has the lower cost of living: its index is $66k, compared with Glendale's $66k and Palmdale's $66k. Median rent is $2k in Glendale versus $2k in Palmdale.
- Is Glendale or Palmdale safer?
- Glendale has the lower violent crime rate. Glendale reports 507/100k and Palmdale reports 1214/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Glendale or Palmdale?
- The median home value is $992k in Glendale and $398k in Palmdale, so homes are more affordable in Palmdale.