City comparison
Downey, CA is about 40 miles (70 km) from Simi Valley, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 50 miles, or about 52 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Downey, CA to Simi Valley, CA takes about 5 min, covering roughly 40 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Simi Valley has a population of 126,153, vs 113,052 in Downey — about 1.1× larger by population. By land area, Simi Valley covers about 42 sq mi vs 12 sq mi for Downey.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Downey | Simi Valley | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,814/mo | $2,402/mo | 32.4% higher in Simi Valley |
| Median home value | $679,000 | $704,200 | 3.7% higher in Simi Valley |
| Median household income | $84,236 | $112,144 | 33.1% higher in Simi Valley |
| Groceries index | 106.4 | 105.1 | 1.3% higher in Downey |
| Utilities index | 155.6 | 150.4 | 3.4% higher in Downey |
| Transportation index | 104.4 | 100.7 | 3.7% higher in Downey |
| Healthcare index | 104.3 | 100.6 | 3.7% higher in Downey |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Downey, you'd need $100,110 in Simi Valley to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Downey and Simi Valley have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 3% higher in Simi Valley than in Downey. If you earn $80,000 in Downey, you'd need about $80,088 in Simi Valley to keep the same standard of living.