What it's like to live in Ontario
Ontario is a mid-size city in California with household incomes running above the national average and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Ontario deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
How Ontario compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Ontario
Based on Ontario's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,060
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $81,200 a year
- 60% of Ontario renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$121,520
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $60,760
- Homes cost 6.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 44% above US
$2,030/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,030 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $607,600. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $607,600 · 60% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 12% above US
4.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.8%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 26% below US
244 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1597/100k · Ontario Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 21% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.5 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 45°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 38% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
38 public schools inside the boundary
There are 38 public schools inside the boundary and 8 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (25 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Ontario's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and a growing population; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,030/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Ontario
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