Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Alafaya, FL
VS
Riverside, CA
🏆 Alafaya leads 13 of 19 categories
Alafaya
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.1⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$93,251 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,531
Riverside
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,448
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
316,076 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Alafaya, FL
Pros
Homes cost $124k less ($361,800 vs $485,500)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 47.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $9,803 more per year on average
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Riverside
Smaller class sizes — 18.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Riverside, CA
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $485,500
Violent crime (589.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2832.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Alafaya by $9,803/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Alafaya
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 101.1 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Alafaya
Median Income
$9,803
$93,251 vs $83,448/yr
Alafaya
Median Home Value
$124k less
$361,800 vs $485,500
Alafaya
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.1% unemployment
Riverside
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 95.3°F vs 91.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Alafaya, FL | Riverside, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.1⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $361,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $485,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,768⚠ High | $1,711⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,251 ✓ Higher | $83,448 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.9 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.2% ✓ Higher | 8.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 155⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 47.9% ✓ Higher | 24.4% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 82.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ORANGE | Riverside Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 71.2°F ✓ Warmer | 69.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.9°F | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.2" | 10.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,531 | 316,076 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 32.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.4% ✓ Higher | 55.5% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.8% | 11.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Alafaya's cost of living index is 101.1 vs Riverside's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Alafaya is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Alafaya leads 13 of 19 categories. Alafaya wins 13 and Riverside wins 6. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Alafaya to Riverside or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($361,800 vs $485,500 median home), income ($93,251 vs $83,448), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Alafaya, FL and Riverside, CA are about 2,160 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.