Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fremont, CA
VS
Rio Rancho, NM
🏆 Rio Rancho leads 13 of 22 categories
Fremont
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$169,023 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
228,795 ✓ Larger
Rio Rancho
New Mexico
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,978
Violent Crime Index
84
Population
104,351
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fremont, CA
Pros
Households earn $90,045 more per year on average
38% less violent crime than Rio Rancho
More college-educated — 61.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (195.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.0%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,231,500
Higher rents — median is $2,824/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Rio Rancho
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Rio Rancho, NM
Pros
Homes cost $985k less ($246,700 vs $1,231,500)
Rent averages $1467/mo less ($1,357 vs $2,824)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Fremont
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.0)
Smaller class sizes — 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fremont by $90,045/yr
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fremont
Median Income
$90,045
$169,023 vs $78,978/yr
Fremont
Violent Crime
38% lower
195.7 vs 318.2 per 100k
Fremont
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
Rio Rancho
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 93.0 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Rio Rancho
Median Home Value
$985k less
$246,700 vs $1,231,500
Rio Rancho
Summer Heat
18.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.5°F vs 77.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fremont, CA | Rio Rancho, NM |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 93.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,231,500⚠ High | $246,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,824⚠ High | $1,357⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $169,023 ✓ Higher | $78,978 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.1 min⚠ High | 28.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 12.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 76 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 84 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 64 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 13.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.9% ✓ Higher | 33.2% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% | 94.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fremont Unified | SANDOVAL ACADEMY OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.1°F ✓ Warmer | 49.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 77.0°F | 95.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.4" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 9.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 228,795 ✓ Larger | 104,351 |
| Median Age | 38.6 | 39.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.7% | 81.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | 24.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fremont's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Rio Rancho's 93.0 (US average = 100).
Rio Rancho is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Rio Rancho leads 13 of 22 categories. Fremont wins 9 and Rio Rancho wins 13. 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 Fremont to Rio Rancho or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,231,500 vs $246,700 median home), income ($169,023 vs $78,978), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fremont, CA and Rio Rancho, NM are about 860 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.