San Bernardino is a mid-sized city of 221,041 in California, with a median household income of $61,323
and a 7.6% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is
8% above the national average.
Strengths:
San Bernardino's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether San Bernardino is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All San Bernardino 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
San Bernardino's overall cost of living index is 107.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in San Bernardino costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.
Metric
San Bernardino, CA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$347,100
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,319
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
48.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$61,323
$74,755
Crime & Safety
High Crime
San Bernardino's violent crime rate is 897.1 per 100,000 residents
— 136% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
897.1 /100k
Property Crime
2897.7 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
San Bernardino is served primarily by San Bernardino City Unified.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.5:1
(slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
San Bernardino, CA
National Avg
School District
San Bernardino City Unified
—
Elementary Schools
52
—
Middle Schools
11
—
High Schools
10
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.5:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
12.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
72.5%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
San Bernardino sees average highs of 66.6°F in January
and 95.4°F in July,
with 21.6 inches of annual precipitation
.
San Bernardino's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average.
That puts San Bernardino roughly 8% above the national average in cost.
The median home price is $347,100 and median rent is $1,319/month.
San Bernardino's violent crime rate is 897.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2897.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in San Bernardino are operated by San Bernardino City Unified.
The district has 52 elementary, 11 middle, and 10 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.5:1. 12.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
San Bernardino, CA has a population of 221,041, a median household income of $61,323, and an unemployment rate of 7.6%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
San Bernardino averages 66.6°F in January and 95.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 21.6 inches
.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
San Bernardino, CA is covered by 9 ZIP codes: 92407, 92404, 92408, 92410, 92405, 92411, 92401, 92369, 92415.
The population of San Bernardino, California is 221,041 with a median age of 31.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in San Bernardino: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $347,100, median household income $61,323, crime index 197 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare San Bernardino side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
.jpg)
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)