Fontana vs Irvine
Fontana, California versus Irvine, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Irvine edges out Fontana on overall objective livability (47 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fontana | Irvine |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $93k | $123k |
| Cost of Living | $83k | $83k |
| Home Value | $507k | $1.0M |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.91% | 0.85% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.15% | 23.28% |
| Unemployment | 6.2% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 56°F | 57°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.3 in | 14.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 277 days | 277 days |
| Summer Humidity | 55°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 144 days | 277 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 80.6 | 85.8 |
| Air Quality | 62 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 67.1 | 56.2 |
| Violent Crime | 946/100k | 434/100k |
| Property Crime | 1289/100k | 1614/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 209,279 | 304,527 |
| Median Age | 32.6 | 33.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.71 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 12.8% | 35.7% |
| Black (%) | 8.0% | 1.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 69.0% | 11.2% |
| Asian (%) | 7.0% | 44.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.3% | 7.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 33 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 12.8/20 | 14.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 38 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.0% | 95.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 18.11 | 28.90 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fontana or Irvine more affordable?
- Irvine has the lower cost of living: its index is $83k, compared with Fontana's $83k and Irvine's $83k. Median rent is $2k in Fontana versus $3k in Irvine.
- Is Fontana or Irvine safer?
- Irvine has the lower violent crime rate. Fontana reports 946/100k and Irvine reports 434/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fontana or Irvine?
- The median home value is $507k in Fontana and $1.0M in Irvine, so homes are more affordable in Fontana.