Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
Ontario, CA
🏆 Daly City leads 12 of 22 categories
Daly City
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,910 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
78
Population
103,648
Ontario
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,070
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
176,326 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Households earn $36,840 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
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 Ontario
Ontario, CA
Pros
Homes cost $560k less ($513,000 vs $1,073,100)
Rent averages $728/mo less ($1,826 vs $2,554)
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 $36,840/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Income
$36,840
$114,910 vs $78,070/yr
Ontario
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Ontario
Violent Crime
8% lower
272.2 vs 296.3 per 100k
Ontario
Median Home Value
$560k less
$513,000 vs $1,073,100
Ontario
Summer Heat
32.0°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | Ontario, 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 | $513,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High | $1,826⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 ✓ Higher | $78,070 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% ✓ Higher | 6.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 | 78 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 ✓ Safer | 87 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) ✓ Better | C- (65) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% ✓ Higher | 19.2% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% ✓ Higher | 76.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | Ontario-Montclair |
| 🌤 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" | 11.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 | 176,326 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 32.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 55.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 24.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 10.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Ontario's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Ontario is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Daly City leads 12 of 22 categories. Daly City wins 12 and Ontario wins 10. 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 Ontario or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $513,000 median home), income ($114,910 vs $78,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and Ontario, CA are about 371 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.