Overall
99.8
-0.2 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Visalia, CA
Cost-of-living indicators for Visalia, CA, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 47300 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #92 of 387
Visalia, CA has a cost of living index of 99.8, meaning it's 0.2% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 5.2% more, services 56.4% more, and rents are 15.9% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $100,175 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Visalia
Visalia ranks #92 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the top quartile for cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 99.8, Visalia, CA is 0.2% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Visalia's most and least expensive categories — services at 156.4 versus rents at 84.1 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $100,175 inside Visalia, while a household needs roughly $99,825 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 84.1 — 15.9% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Visalia's overall index has risen by 5.0 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 105.2 and services at 156.4, meaning everyday spending in Visalia is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Visalia Cost Index at a Glance
Visalia all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Visalia category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
105.2
+5.2 above avg
Services
156.4
+56.4 above avg
Rents
84.1
-15.9 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 99.8 (-0.2 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 105.2 (+5.2 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 156.4 (+56.4 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 84.1 (-15.9 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Services +56.4% (156.4)
Goods +5.2% (105.2)
Below National Average
Rents -15.9% (84.1)
Overall -0.2% (99.8)
Income Adequacy in Visalia
Visalia income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 99.8
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$99,825
in Visalia, CA purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$49,913
$75,000 nationally
$74,869
$125,000 nationally
$124,781
$150,000 nationally
$149,738
$200,000 nationally
$199,650
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 5.0 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 94.9 |
| 2009 | 98.1 |
| 2010 | 96.4 |
| 2011 | 98.4 |
| 2012 | 98.7 |
| 2013 | 97.0 |
| 2014 | 97.2 |
| 2015 | 95.5 |
| 2016 | 94.6 |
| 2017 | 96.5 |
| 2018 | 100.4 |
| 2019 | 99.6 |
| 2020 | 98.8 |
| 2021 | 98.9 |
| 2022 | 102.4 |
| 2023 | 101.5 |
| 2024 | 99.8 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Visalia, CA's index of 99.8.
Other CA Metros
Related Data for Visalia
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Visalia area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Visalia metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Visalia
School Districts
NCES school data for Visalia area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Visalia area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Visalia, CA? ▼
Visalia, CA has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 99.8, meaning it is 0.2% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 105.2, services at 156.4, and rents at 84.1. It ranks #92 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Visalia, CA to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $99,825 in Visalia, CA. Conversely, $100K earned in Visalia, CA has the purchasing power of $100,175 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Visalia, CA? ▼
Rents in Visalia, CA are indexed at 84.1, which is 15.9% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.
Is Visalia, CA getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Visalia, CA's overall cost index changed by +5.0 points (from 94.9 to 99.8). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What costs the most in Visalia, CA? ▼
The most expensive category in Visalia, CA is services at 156.4, which is 56.4% above the national average. The most affordable category is rents at 84.1, 15.9% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Visalia, CA? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Waterbury-Shelton, Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Visalia, CA's 99.8.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
