Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fontana, CA
VS
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
🏆 Fontana leads 10 of 18 categories
Fontana
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$93,230
Violent Crime Index
71 ✓ Safer
Population
209,279 ✓ Larger
Rancho Cucamonga
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,534 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
174,696
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fontana, CA
Pros
Rent averages $568/mo less ($1,616 vs $2,184)
Homes cost $151k less ($506,600 vs $657,400)
Smaller class sizes — 21.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Rancho Cucamonga by $12,304/yr
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 5.4%)
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 37.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.4%)
Households earn $12,304 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,184/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $657,400
Key Differences at a Glance
Fontana
Violent Crime
8% lower
270.2 vs 293.7 per 100k
Fontana
Median Home Value
$151k less
$506,600 vs $657,400
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 107.9 on the COL index
Rancho Cucamonga
Median Income
$12,304
$105,534 vs $93,230/yr
Rancho Cucamonga
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fontana, CA | Rancho Cucamonga, 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 ✓ Lower | $657,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,616⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,184⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,230 | $105,534 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.3 min⚠ High | 33.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.4% | 10.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 81 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 86 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 25.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.0% | 37.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.3% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fontana Unified | Alta Loma Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.7°F | 67.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 93.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.3" | 17.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 209,279 ✓ Larger | 174,696 |
| Median Age | 32.6 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.6% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.9% ✓ More | 22.7% |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fontana's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Rancho Cucamonga's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 18 decided categories above, Fontana leads 10 of 18 categories. Fontana wins 10 and Rancho Cucamonga wins 8. 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 Rancho Cucamonga or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($506,600 vs $657,400 median home), income ($93,230 vs $105,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fontana, CA and Rancho Cucamonga, CA are about 6 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.