Median Income
$78,070
household / year
Median Home Value
$513,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,826
gross / month
Cost of Living
108
national avg = 100

Is Ontario, CA a Good Place to Live?

Ontario is a mid-sized city of 176,326 in California, with a median household income of $78,070 and a 5.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Ontario stands out for lower-than-average crime.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Ontario is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Ontario city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 107.9

Ontario's overall cost of living index is 107.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ontario costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.

Metric Ontario, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $513,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,826 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 55.7% 65.9%
Median Household Income $78,070 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Ontario's violent crime rate is 272.2 per 100,000 residents — 28% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
272.2 /100k
Property Crime
1817.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Ontario is served primarily by Ontario-Montclair. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Ontario, CA National Avg
School District Ontario-Montclair —
Elementary Schools 27 —
Middle Schools 6 —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 21.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 76.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ontario sees average highs of 67.7°F in January and 93.8°F in July, with 11.6 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricOntario, CA
Average High — January67.7°F
Average High — July93.8°F
Annual Precipitation11.6"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricOntario, CANational Avg
Population176,326—
Median Age32.638.9
Unemployment Rate5.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time31.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)35.1%59.3%
Black or African American5.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino46.9%18.9%
Asian7.5%6.3%
Under 1824.9%22.2%
65 and over10.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Chino, CA 5 mi Eastvale, CA 5 mi Montclair, CA 6 mi Upland, CA 6 mi Rancho Cucamonga, CA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Ontario

Ontario, CA is covered by 3 ZIP codes:

91761 91762 91764

Ontario vs Other Cities

Ontario, CA vs Chino, CA Ontario, CA vs Eastvale, CA Ontario, CA vs Montclair, CA Ontario, CA vs Upland, CA Ontario, CA vs Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Ontario's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Ontario roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $513,000 and median rent is $1,826/month.
Ontario's violent crime rate is 272.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1817.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ontario are operated by Ontario-Montclair. The district has 27 elementary, 6 middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.4:1. 19.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ontario, CA has a population of 176,326, a median household income of $78,070, and an unemployment rate of 5.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ontario averages 67.7°F in January and 93.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 11.6 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ontario, CA is covered by 3 ZIP codes: 91761, 91762, 91764.
The population of Ontario, California is 176,326 with a median age of 32.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ontario: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $513,000, median household income $78,070, crime index 78 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ontario side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.