Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Ontario, CA
VS
Rialto, CA
🏆 Ontario leads 12 of 21 categories
Ontario
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,070
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
176,326 ✓ Larger
Rialto
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,750 ✓ Higher
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.
Ontario, CA
Pros
58% less violent crime than Rialto
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.5 pts lower (5.8%)
More college-educated — 19.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 21.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $513,000
Higher rents — median is $1,826/mo
Median income trails Rialto by $2,680/yr
Rialto, CA
Pros
Homes cost $95k less ($418,300 vs $513,000)
Rent averages $273/mo less ($1,553 vs $1,826)
Households earn $2,680 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (641.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (9.3% vs 5.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Ontario
Violent Crime
58% lower
272.2 vs 641.7 per 100k
Ontario
Unemployment
3.5 pp lower
5.8% vs 9.3% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 107.9 on the COL index
Rialto
Median Income
$2,680
$80,750 vs $78,070/yr
Rialto
Median Home Value
$95k less
$418,300 vs $513,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Ontario, CA | Rialto, 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 | $418,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,826⚠ High | $1,553⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,070 | $80,750 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 33.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.2% | 6.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 78 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (65) | C (81) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.2% ✓ Higher | 12.3% |
| High School or Higher | 76.2% ✓ Higher | 74.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Ontario-Montclair | Rialto Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.7°F | 69.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 94.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.6" ✓ Drier | 17.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 176,326 ✓ Larger | 103,873 |
| Median Age | 32.6 ✓ Older | 31.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% | 62.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | 27.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.0% ✓ More | 9.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Ontario's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Rialto's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Ontario leads 12 of 21 categories. Ontario wins 12 and Rialto wins 9. 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 Rialto or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($513,000 vs $418,300 median home), income ($78,070 vs $80,750), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Ontario, CA and Rialto, CA are about 13 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.