Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fontana, CA
VS
Riverside, CA
🏆 Riverside leads 11 of 21 categories
Fontana
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$93,230 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
71 ✓ Safer
Population
209,279
Riverside
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,448
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
316,076 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fontana, CA
Pros
54% less violent crime than Riverside
Households earn $9,782 more per year on average
Rent averages $95/mo less ($1,616 vs $1,711)
Smaller class sizes — 21.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $506,600
Riverside, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 24.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $21k less ($485,500 vs $506,600)
Cons
Violent crime (589.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2832.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Fontana by $9,782/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,711/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Fontana
Median Income
$9,782
$93,230 vs $83,448/yr
Fontana
Violent Crime
54% lower
270.2 vs 589.7 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 107.9 on the COL index
Riverside
Median Home Value
$21k less
$485,500 vs $506,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fontana, CA | Riverside, 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 | $485,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,616⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,711⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,230 ✓ Higher | $83,448 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.3 min⚠ High | 31.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.4% ✓ Higher | 8.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.0% | 24.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.3% | 82.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fontana Unified | Riverside Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.7°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.3" | 10.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 209,279 | 316,076 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.6 ✓ Older | 32.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.6% ✓ Higher | 55.5% |
| Under 18 | 27.9% ✓ More | 23.6% |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 11.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fontana's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Riverside's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Riverside leads 11 of 21 categories. Fontana wins 10 and Riverside 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 Riverside or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($506,600 vs $485,500 median home), income ($93,230 vs $83,448), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fontana, CA and Riverside, CA are about 13 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.