Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 13 of 21 categories
Huntington Beach
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Rancho Cucamonga
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$105,534
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
174,696
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
29% less violent crime than Rancho Cucamonga
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 94°F
Households earn $9,213 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Rancho Cucamonga
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Pros
Homes cost $319k less ($657,400 vs $976,800)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Rent averages $134/mo less ($2,184 vs $2,318)
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $9,213/yr
Longer commutes — 33.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$9,213
$114,747 vs $105,534/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
29% lower
207.3 vs 293.7 per 100k
Rancho Cucamonga
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Rancho Cucamonga
Median Home Value
$319k less
$657,400 vs $976,800
Rancho Cucamonga
Summer Heat
14.9°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Rancho Cucamonga, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $657,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $2,184⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $105,534 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 10.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 81 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 86 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 25.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 37.0% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | Alta Loma Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 17.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 174,696 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 37.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% | 63.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Rancho Cucamonga's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Rancho Cucamonga is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 13 of 21 categories. Huntington Beach wins 13 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 Huntington Beach to Rancho Cucamonga or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $657,400 median home), income ($114,747 vs $105,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Rancho Cucamonga, CA are about 39 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.