Riverside vs San Juan Capistrano
Riverside, California versus San Juan Capistrano, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
San Juan Capistrano edges out Riverside on overall objective livability (45 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Riverside | San Juan Capistrano |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $83k | $123k |
| Cost of Living | $83k | $83k |
| Home Value | $486k | $888k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.66% | 0.69% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 20.08% | 21.15% |
| Unemployment | 6.1% | 4.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 55°F | 56°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.0 in | 15.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 277 days | 256 days |
| Summer Humidity | 55°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 140 days | 269 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 96.0 | 96.4 |
| Air Quality | 66 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 61.1 | 50.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1504/100k | 493/100k |
| Property Crime | 3240/100k | 1386/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 316,076 | 35,099 |
| Median Age | 32.4 | 42.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.70 | 0.53 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 27.3% | 53.1% |
| Black (%) | 5.4% | 0.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 55.4% | 38.4% |
| Asian (%) | 8.2% | 3.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.7% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 13.5/20 | 10.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 33 mi | 17 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.6% | 94.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 12.43 | 117.67 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Riverside or San Juan Capistrano more affordable?
- San Juan Capistrano has the lower cost of living: its index is $83k, compared with Riverside's $83k and San Juan Capistrano's $83k. Median rent is $2k in Riverside versus $2k in San Juan Capistrano.
- Is Riverside or San Juan Capistrano safer?
- San Juan Capistrano has the lower violent crime rate. Riverside reports 1504/100k and San Juan Capistrano reports 493/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Riverside or San Juan Capistrano?
- The median home value is $486k in Riverside and $888k in San Juan Capistrano, so homes are more affordable in Riverside.