Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Fullerton, CA
🏆 Fullerton leads 11 of 20 categories
El Monte
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,682
Fullerton
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,279 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High
Population
142,280 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Homes cost $194k less ($597,200 vs $791,000)
7% less violent crime than Fullerton
Rent averages $384/mo less ($1,605 vs $1,989)
Smaller class sizes — 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fullerton by $39,350/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Fullerton, CA
Pros
Households earn $39,350 more per year on average
More college-educated — 44.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (455.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $791,000
Higher rents — median is $1,989/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
El Monte
Violent Crime
7% lower
423.2 vs 455.3 per 100k
El Monte
Median Home Value
$194k less
$597,200 vs $791,000
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Fullerton
Median Income
$39,350
$99,279 vs $59,929/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Fullerton, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High ✓ Lower | $791,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,989⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $99,279 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 6.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 11.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 120⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 | 96 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B- (93) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 25.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 44.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 89.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | Fullerton Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 84.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" | 11.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 142,280 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 35.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 51.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 22.4% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Fullerton's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Fullerton leads 11 of 20 categories. El Monte wins 9 and Fullerton wins 11. 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 El Monte to Fullerton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $791,000 median home), income ($59,929 vs $99,279), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Fullerton, CA are about 14 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.