Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Meridian, ID
VS
Rialto, CA
🏆 Meridian leads 19 of 23 categories
Meridian
Idaho
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$93,296 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
119,872 ✓ Larger
Rialto
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,750
Violent Crime Index
169⚠ High
Population
103,873
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Meridian, ID
Pros
77% less violent crime than Rialto
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.6 pts lower (2.7%)
More college-educated — 43.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.8 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Rialto
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Rialto, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 39°F
Cons
Violent crime (641.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Meridian
Median income trails Meridian by $12,546/yr
Higher unemployment (9.3% vs 2.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Meridian
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Meridian
Median Income
$12,546
$93,296 vs $80,750/yr
Meridian
Violent Crime
77% lower
146.8 vs 641.7 per 100k
Meridian
Unemployment
6.6 pp lower
2.7% vs 9.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Meridian, ID | Rialto, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $425,800⚠ High | $418,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,548⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,553⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,296 ✓ Higher | $80,750 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.7% ✓ Lower | 9.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter | 33.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 14.8% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.5% ✓ Higher | 12.3% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 74.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 | Rialto Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.8°F | 69.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.7°F | 94.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.4" ✓ Drier | 17.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 18.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 119,872 ✓ Larger | 103,873 |
| Median Age | 37.1 ✓ Older | 31.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.3% ✓ Higher | 62.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% ✓ More | 27.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 9.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Meridian's cost of living index is 93.4 vs Rialto's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Meridian is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Meridian leads 19 of 23 categories. Meridian wins 19 and Rialto wins 4. 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 Meridian to Rialto or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,800 vs $418,300 median home), income ($93,296 vs $80,750), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Meridian, ID and Rialto, CA are about 658 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.