Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fontana, CA
VS
Menifee, CA
🏆 Menifee leads 12 of 22 categories
Fontana
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$93,230 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
71
Population
209,279 ✓ Larger
Menifee
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$87,871
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
103,680
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fontana, CA
Pros
Rent averages $330/mo less ($1,616 vs $1,946)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (6.2%)
Households earn $5,359 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 21.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $506,600
Menifee, CA
Pros
32% less violent crime than Fontana
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.8 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $64k less ($442,600 vs $506,600)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,946/mo
Higher unemployment (7.1% vs 6.2%)
Longer commutes — 42.5 min average each way
Median income trails Fontana by $5,359/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fontana
Median Income
$5,359
$93,230 vs $87,871/yr
Fontana
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
6.2% vs 7.1% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 107.9 on the COL index
Menifee
Violent Crime
32% lower
182.8 vs 270.2 per 100k
Menifee
Median Home Value
$64k less
$442,600 vs $506,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fontana, CA | Menifee, 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 | $442,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,616⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,946⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,230 ✓ Higher | $87,871 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 42.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.4% | 10.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 | 44 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 | 38 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) ✓ Better | C- (64) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.0% | 20.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.3% | 87.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fontana Unified | Menifee Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer | 65.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 96.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.3" | 13.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 209,279 ✓ Larger | 103,680 |
| Median Age | 32.6 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.6% | 80.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.9% ✓ More | 25.7% |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 17.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fontana's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Menifee's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Menifee leads 12 of 22 categories. Fontana wins 10 and Menifee wins 12. 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 Menifee or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($506,600 vs $442,600 median home), income ($93,230 vs $87,871), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fontana, CA and Menifee, CA are about 33 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.