Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Murrieta, CA
VS
Ontario, CA
🏆 Murrieta leads 12 of 22 categories
Murrieta
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,925 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
111,899
Ontario
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,070
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
176,326 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Murrieta, CA
Pros
33% less violent crime than Ontario
Households earn $28,855 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (183.7 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 29.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 94°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,150/mo
Higher unemployment (6.7% vs 5.8%)
Pricier housing — median home is $567,700
Longer commutes — 35.0 min average each way
Ontario, CA
Pros
Rent averages $324/mo less ($1,826 vs $2,150)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.8%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Homes cost $55k less ($513,000 vs $567,700)
Smaller class sizes — 21.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Murrieta by $28,855/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Murrieta
Median Income
$28,855
$106,925 vs $78,070/yr
Murrieta
Violent Crime
33% lower
183.7 vs 272.2 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 107.9 on the COL index
Ontario
Median Home Value
$55k less
$513,000 vs $567,700
Ontario
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.8% vs 6.7% unemployment
Ontario
Summer Heat
6.6°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 87.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Murrieta, CA | Ontario, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $567,700⚠ High | $513,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,150⚠ High | $1,826⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $106,925 ✓ Higher | $78,070 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.7%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.0 min⚠ High | 31.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.2% ✓ Higher | 6.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 47 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 87 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C- (65) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.4:1 | 21.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 19.2% |
| High School or Higher | 92.5% ✓ Higher | 76.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Murrieta Valley Unified | Ontario-Montclair |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.5°F | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" | 11.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 111,899 | 176,326 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 ✓ Older | 32.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.5% ✓ Higher | 55.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% ✓ More | 24.9% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% ✓ More | 10.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Murrieta's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Ontario's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Murrieta leads 12 of 22 categories. Murrieta wins 12 and Ontario wins 10. 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 Murrieta to Ontario or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($567,700 vs $513,000 median home), income ($106,925 vs $78,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Murrieta, CA and Ontario, CA are about 40 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.