Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fontana, CA
VS
Lakewood, CO
🏆 Fontana leads 12 of 23 categories
Fontana
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$93,230 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
71 ✓ Safer
Population
209,279 ✓ Larger
Lakewood
Colorado
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,786
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High
Population
156,149
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fontana, CA
Pros
66% less violent crime than Lakewood
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 45°F
Households earn $10,444 more per year on average
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 4.4%)
Longer commutes — 33.3 min average each way
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Lakewood
Lakewood, CO
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Fontana
Cons
Violent crime (787.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5093.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Fontana by $10,444/yr
Snowy winters — about 58" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Fontana
Median Income
$10,444
$93,230 vs $82,786/yr
Fontana
Violent Crime
66% lower
270.2 vs 787.2 per 100k
Fontana
Summer Heat
7.9°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 85.9°F
Lakewood
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Lakewood
Median Home Value
$13k less
$494,100 vs $506,600
Lakewood
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fontana, CA | Lakewood, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $506,600⚠ High | $494,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,616⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,665⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,230 ✓ Higher | $82,786 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.3 min⚠ High | 27.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.4% | 16.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 221⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 207⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 243⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.0% | 44.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.3% | 93.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fontana Unified | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer | 44.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 85.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.3" ✓ Drier | 17.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 58.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 209,279 ✓ Larger | 156,149 |
| Median Age | 32.6 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.6% ✓ Higher | 58.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.9% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 17.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fontana's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Lakewood's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Lakewood is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fontana leads 12 of 23 categories. Fontana wins 12 and Lakewood 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 Fontana to Lakewood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($506,600 vs $494,100 median home), income ($93,230 vs $82,786), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fontana, CA and Lakewood, CO are about 783 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.