Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Ontario, CA
🏆 Arlington leads 14 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Ontario
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,070
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
176,326
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $59,317 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Ontario, CA
Pros
Homes cost $320k less ($513,000 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $401/mo less ($1,826 vs $2,227)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 45°F
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $59,317/yr
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 2.8%)
Longer commutes — 31.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$59,317
$137,387 vs $78,070/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
7% lower
254.4 vs 272.2 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
2.8% vs 5.8% unemployment
Ontario
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Ontario
Median Home Value
$320k less
$513,000 vs $833,300
Ontario
Summer Heat
4.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Ontario, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $513,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,826⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $78,070 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 6.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 87 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C- (65) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 19.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 76.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Ontario-Montclair |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 11.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 176,326 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 32.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 55.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 24.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% ✓ More | 10.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Ontario's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Ontario is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 14 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 14 and Ontario wins 9. 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 Arlington to Ontario or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $513,000 median home), income ($137,387 vs $78,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Ontario, CA are about 2,257 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.