Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
Fontana, CA
🏆 Fontana leads 13 of 22 categories
Daly City
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,910 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
78
Population
103,648
Fontana
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$93,230
Violent Crime Index
71 ✓ Safer
Population
209,279 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Households earn $21,680 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 94°F
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.4%)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,073,100
Higher rents — median is $2,554/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Fontana
Fontana, CA
Pros
Homes cost $567k less ($506,600 vs $1,073,100)
Rent averages $938/mo less ($1,616 vs $2,554)
9% less violent crime than Daly City
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Daly City
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 59°F
Cons
Median income trails Daly City by $21,680/yr
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 5.4%)
Longer commutes — 33.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Income
$21,680
$114,910 vs $93,230/yr
Daly City
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.2% unemployment
Fontana
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Fontana
Violent Crime
9% lower
270.2 vs 296.3 per 100k
Fontana
Median Home Value
$567k less
$506,600 vs $1,073,100
Fontana
Summer Heat
32.0°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | Fontana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,073,100⚠ High | $506,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High | $1,616⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 ✓ Higher | $93,230 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 33.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% | 10.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 | 71 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 | 58 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% ✓ Higher | 78.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | Fontana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.6" | 17.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 | 209,279 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 32.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% | 66.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 27.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 8.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Fontana's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Fontana is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Fontana leads 13 of 22 categories. Daly City wins 9 and Fontana wins 13. 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 Daly City to Fontana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $506,600 median home), income ($114,910 vs $93,230), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and Fontana, CA are about 373 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.