Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Rialto, CA
🏆 Brandon leads 16 of 22 categories
Brandon
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,156
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923 ✓ Larger
Rialto
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,750 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
169⚠ High
Population
103,873
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
80% less violent crime than Rialto
Homes cost $152k less ($266,400 vs $418,300)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.7 pts lower (4.6%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 34.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Rialto by $9,594/yr
Rialto, CA
Pros
Households earn $9,594 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $418,300
Violent crime (641.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (9.3% vs 4.6%)
Longer commutes — 33.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Brandon
Violent Crime
80% lower
131.1 vs 641.7 per 100k
Brandon
Median Home Value
$152k less
$266,400 vs $418,300
Brandon
Unemployment
4.7 pp lower
4.6% vs 9.3% unemployment
Rialto
Median Income
$9,594
$80,750 vs $71,156/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Rialto, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 ✓ Lower | $418,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,553⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 | $80,750 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 33.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% ✓ Higher | 12.3% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 74.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | Rialto Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 69.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 94.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 17.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 ✓ Larger | 103,873 |
| Median Age | 37.2 ✓ Older | 31.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% | 62.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 27.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% ✓ More | 9.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Rialto's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Brandon is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Brandon leads 16 of 22 categories. Brandon wins 16 and Rialto 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 Brandon to Rialto or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $418,300 median home), income ($71,156 vs $80,750), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Rialto, CA are about 2,110 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.