Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Corona, CA
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 Corona leads 15 of 23 categories
Corona
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$103,727 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
66 ✓ Safer
Population
158,346 ✓ Larger
Yakima
Washington
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Corona, CA
Pros
Households earn $47,993 more per year on average
54% less violent crime than Yakima
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.5 pts lower (4.6%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (249.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 40°F
More college-educated — 30.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,200
Higher rents — median is $2,020/mo
Longer commutes — 35.3 min average each way
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Yakima
Yakima, WA
Pros
Homes cost $381k less ($243,300 vs $624,200)
Rent averages $1006/mo less ($1,014 vs $2,020)
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Corona
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Corona by $47,993/yr
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 4.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Corona
Median Income
$47,993
$103,727 vs $55,734/yr
Corona
Violent Crime
54% lower
249.4 vs 544.3 per 100k
Corona
Unemployment
3.5 pp lower
4.6% vs 8.1% unemployment
Corona
Summer Heat
5.4°F warmer
July avg high 93.7°F vs 88.3°F
Yakima
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Yakima
Median Home Value
$381k less
$243,300 vs $624,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Corona, CA | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $624,200⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,020⚠ High | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,727 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.3 min⚠ High | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 82 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 17.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.5% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 85.8% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Corona-Norco Unified | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.5°F ✓ Warmer | 39.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.7°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.3" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 20.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 158,346 ✓ Larger | 96,764 |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.1% ✓ Higher | 53.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.0% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Corona's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Yakima is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Corona leads 15 of 23 categories. Corona wins 15 and Yakima wins 8. 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 Corona to Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($624,200 vs $243,300 median home), income ($103,727 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Corona, CA and Yakima, WA are about 893 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.