Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Olathe, KS
VS
San Bernardino, CA
🏆 Olathe leads 17 of 23 categories
Olathe
Kansas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$108,077 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
142,114
San Bernardino
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,323
Violent Crime Index
236⚠ High
Population
221,041 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Olathe, KS
Pros
Households earn $46,754 more per year on average
78% less violent crime than San Bernardino
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.4 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 50.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (196.0 vs 380/100k)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than San Bernardino
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
San Bernardino, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails Olathe by $46,754/yr
Violent crime (897.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Olathe
Property crime (2897.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Olathe
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Olathe
Median Income
$46,754
$108,077 vs $61,323/yr
Olathe
Violent Crime
78% lower
196.0 vs 897.1 per 100k
Olathe
Median Home Value
$29k less
$317,900 vs $347,100
Olathe
Unemployment
4.4 pp lower
3.2% vs 7.6% unemployment
San Bernardino
Summer Heat
7.2°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 88.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Olathe, KS | San Bernardino, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $317,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $347,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,229 ✓ Lower | $1,319 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $108,077 ✓ Higher | $61,323 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 7.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter | 28.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.3% ✓ Higher | 5.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 197⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 4.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.9% ✓ Higher | 12.8% |
| High School or Higher | 94.7% ✓ Higher | 72.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | School for Deaf | San Bernardino City Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" | 21.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,114 | 221,041 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 31.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.5% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | 27.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.6% ✓ More | 9.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Olathe's cost of living index is 93.3 vs San Bernardino's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Olathe is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Olathe leads 17 of 23 categories. Olathe wins 17 and San Bernardino wins 6. 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 Olathe to San Bernardino or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($317,900 vs $347,100 median home), income ($108,077 vs $61,323), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Olathe, KS and San Bernardino, CA are about 1,287 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.