Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Ontario, CA
VS
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
🏆 Rancho Cucamonga leads 10 of 19 categories
Ontario
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,070
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
176,326 ✓ Larger
Rancho Cucamonga
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,534 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
174,696
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Ontario, CA
Pros
Homes cost $144k less ($513,000 vs $657,400)
Rent averages $358/mo less ($1,826 vs $2,184)
Smaller class sizes — 21.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Rancho Cucamonga by $27,464/yr
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Pros
Households earn $27,464 more per year on average
More college-educated — 37.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $657,400
Higher rents — median is $2,184/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Ontario
Violent Crime
7% lower
272.2 vs 293.7 per 100k
Ontario
Median Home Value
$144k less
$513,000 vs $657,400
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 107.9 on the COL index
Rancho Cucamonga
Median Income
$27,464
$105,534 vs $78,070/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Ontario, CA | Rancho Cucamonga, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $513,000⚠ High ✓ Lower | $657,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,826⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,184⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,070 | $105,534 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.2% | 10.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 78 ✓ Safer | 81 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 | 86 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (65) | C+ (83) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 25.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.2% | 37.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.2% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Ontario-Montclair | Alta Loma Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.7°F | 67.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 93.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.6" ✓ Drier | 17.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 176,326 ✓ Larger | 174,696 |
| Median Age | 32.6 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% | 63.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 22.7% |
| Over 65 | 10.0% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Ontario's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Rancho Cucamonga's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Rancho Cucamonga leads 10 of 19 categories. Ontario wins 9 and Rancho Cucamonga 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 Ontario to Rancho Cucamonga or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($513,000 vs $657,400 median home), income ($78,070 vs $105,534), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Ontario, CA and Rancho Cucamonga, CA are about 7 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.