Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Riverside, CA
VS
San Bernardino, CA
🏆 Riverside leads 15 of 21 categories
Riverside
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,448 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
316,076 ✓ Larger
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
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Riverside, CA
Pros
34% less violent crime than San Bernardino
Households earn $22,125 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (6.1%)
More college-educated — 24.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $485,500
Violent crime (589.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,711/mo
Property crime (2832.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
San Bernardino, CA
Pros
Homes cost $138k less ($347,100 vs $485,500)
Rent averages $392/mo less ($1,319 vs $1,711)
Smaller class sizes — 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Riverside by $22,125/yr
Violent crime (897.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2897.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.6% vs 6.1%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Riverside
Median Income
$22,125
$83,448 vs $61,323/yr
Riverside
Violent Crime
34% lower
589.7 vs 897.1 per 100k
Riverside
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
6.1% vs 7.6% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 107.9 on the COL index
San Bernardino
Median Home Value
$138k less
$347,100 vs $485,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Riverside, CA | San Bernardino, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $485,500⚠ High | $347,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,711⚠ High | $1,319 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,448 ✓ Higher | $61,323 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High | 28.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 5.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 147⚠ High ✓ Safer | 197⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 155⚠ High ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 135⚠ High ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (88) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.3:1 | 20.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.4% ✓ Higher | 12.8% |
| High School or Higher | 82.6% ✓ Higher | 72.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Riverside Unified | San Bernardino City Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer | 66.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.3°F | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.0" ✓ Drier | 21.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 316,076 ✓ Larger | 221,041 |
| Median Age | 32.4 ✓ Older | 31.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.5% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | 27.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% ✓ More | 9.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Riverside's cost of living index is 107.9 vs San Bernardino's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Riverside leads 15 of 21 categories. Riverside wins 15 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 Riverside to San Bernardino or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($485,500 vs $347,100 median home), income ($83,448 vs $61,323), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Riverside, CA and San Bernardino, CA are about 15 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.