What it's like to live in Vallejo
Vallejo is a mid-size city in California with household incomes running above the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Vallejo deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, and crime rates above the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Clean air
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Below-average hospital ratings
How Vallejo compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Vallejo
Based on Vallejo's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,146
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $82,920 a year
- 59% of Vallejo renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$117,900
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $58,950
- Homes cost 6.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 47% above US
$2,073/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,073 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $589,500. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $589,500 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 28% above US
5.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.5%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 136% above US
778 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3080/100k · Vallejo Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 32% above US
34 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 34.2 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 43°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 20% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
26 public schools inside the boundary
There are 26 public schools inside the boundary and 8 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is John Muir National Historic Site (11 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Vallejo's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,073/mo) equals 28% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, anyone moving without a job lined up, and people who dread long commutes.
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