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Riverside vs San Clemente

Riverside, California versus San Clemente, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Riverside

Mixed · objective livability41/100

San Clemente

Mixed · objective livability46/100

San Clemente edges out Riverside on overall objective livability (46 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorRiversideSan Clemente
Affordability
Median Household Income$83k$135k
Cost of Living$83k$83k
Home Value$486k$1.2M
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$4k
Property Tax Rate0.66%0.65%
Income Tax13.30%13.30%
Sales Tax8.85%8.85%
Estimated total tax burden20.08%21.81%
Unemployment6.1%5.3%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)55°F55°F
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F71°F
Annual Precipitation10.0 in15.3 in
Annual Snowfall0.0 in0.0 in
Sunny Days277 days256 days
Summer Humidity55°F60°F
Comfortable Days140 days260 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk96.060.7
Air Quality66 AQI45 AQI
School Quality61.150.4
Violent Crime1504/100k709/100k
Property Crime3240/100k1434/100k
Community
Population316,07664,232
Median Age32.444.2
Racial Diversity0.700.39
Male/Female Ratio0.991.05
Political LeaningEvenEven
White (%)27.3%71.8%
Black (%)5.4%1.6%
Hispanic (%)55.4%17.1%
Asian (%)8.2%4.7%
Other / Multiracial (%)3.7%4.7%
Getting Around
Commute Time31 min29 min
Walkability13.5/2012.8/20
Airport Distance33 mi22 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.6%95.3%
Amenities Nearby12.4344.37
Park & Nature AccessGoodLimited

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 Riverside or San Clemente more affordable?
San Clemente has the lower cost of living: its index is $83k, compared with Riverside's $83k and San Clemente's $83k. Median rent is $2k in Riverside versus $2k in San Clemente.
Is Riverside or San Clemente safer?
San Clemente has the lower violent crime rate. Riverside reports 1504/100k and San Clemente reports 709/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Riverside or San Clemente?
The median home value is $486k in Riverside and $1.2M in San Clemente, so homes are more affordable in Riverside.
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