Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fontana, CA
VS
Hesperia, CA
🏆 Fontana leads 15 of 21 categories
Fontana
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$93,230 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
71 ✓ Safer
Population
209,279 ✓ Larger
Hesperia
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$67,698
Violent Crime Index
137⚠ High
Population
99,878
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fontana, CA
Pros
48% less violent crime than Hesperia
Households earn $25,532 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.6 pts lower (6.2%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 20.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 60°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $506,600
Higher rents — median is $1,616/mo
Hesperia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $169k less ($337,600 vs $506,600)
Rent averages $180/mo less ($1,436 vs $1,616)
Cons
Median income trails Fontana by $25,532/yr
Violent crime (519.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (9.8% vs 6.2%)
Longer commutes — 42.4 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Fontana
Median Income
$25,532
$93,230 vs $67,698/yr
Fontana
Violent Crime
48% lower
270.2 vs 519.6 per 100k
Fontana
Unemployment
3.6 pp lower
6.2% vs 9.8% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 107.9 on the COL index
Hesperia
Median Home Value
$169k less
$337,600 vs $506,600
Hesperia
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 96.8°F vs 93.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fontana, CA | Hesperia, 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 | $337,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,616⚠ High | $1,436⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,230 ✓ Higher | $67,698 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 42.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.4% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 137⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 68 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.0% ✓ Higher | 10.9% |
| High School or Higher | 78.3% ✓ Higher | 78.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fontana Unified | Hesperia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer | 60.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 96.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.3" | 11.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 209,279 ✓ Larger | 99,878 |
| Median Age | 32.6 ✓ Older | 32.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.6% ✓ Higher | 63.5% |
| Under 18 | 27.9% | 29.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 9.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fontana's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Hesperia's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Fontana leads 15 of 21 categories. Fontana wins 15 and Hesperia wins 6. 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 Hesperia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($506,600 vs $337,600 median home), income ($93,230 vs $67,698), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fontana, CA and Hesperia, CA are about 22 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.