Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fontana, CA
VS
Hemet, CA
🏆 Fontana leads 14 of 21 categories
Fontana
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$93,230 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
71 ✓ Safer
Population
209,279 ✓ Larger
Hemet
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$49,901
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
89,651
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fontana, CA
Pros
Households earn $43,329 more per year on average
36% less violent crime than Hemet
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.3 pts lower (6.2%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 20.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $506,600
Higher rents — median is $1,616/mo
Hemet, CA
Pros
Homes cost $229k less ($277,200 vs $506,600)
Rent averages $259/mo less ($1,357 vs $1,616)
Cons
Median income trails Fontana by $43,329/yr
Higher unemployment (9.5% vs 6.2%)
Longer commutes — 36.8 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Fontana
Median Income
$43,329
$93,230 vs $49,901/yr
Fontana
Violent Crime
36% lower
270.2 vs 424.8 per 100k
Fontana
Unemployment
3.3 pp lower
6.2% vs 9.5% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 107.9 on the COL index
Hemet
Median Home Value
$229k less
$277,200 vs $506,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fontana, CA | Hemet, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $506,600⚠ High | $277,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,616⚠ High | $1,357⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,230 ✓ Higher | $49,901 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 36.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.4% ✓ Higher | 7.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.0% ✓ Higher | 13.9% |
| High School or Higher | 78.3% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fontana Unified | Hemet Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer | 65.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 95.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.3" | 12.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 209,279 ✓ Larger | 89,651 |
| Median Age | 32.6 | 39.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.6% ✓ Higher | 61.1% |
| Under 18 | 27.9% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 22.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fontana's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Hemet's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Fontana leads 14 of 21 categories. Fontana wins 14 and Hemet wins 7. 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 Fontana to Hemet or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($506,600 vs $277,200 median home), income ($93,230 vs $49,901), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fontana, CA and Hemet, CA are about 37 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.