What it's like to live in Rio Vista
Rio Vista is a small city in California with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Rio Vista deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, long average commutes, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Long commutes
- High student-teacher ratio
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Rio Vista compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Rio Vista
Based on Rio Vista's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,448
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $68,960 a year
- 41% of Rio Vista renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$97,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $48,970
- Homes cost 5.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 22% above US
$1,724/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,724 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $489,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $489,700 · 41% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Solano County is 5.3%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Solano County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 50% below US
165 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 553/100k · Rio Vista Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 55% above US
40 min average commute
Commutes run long, averaging 40.3 minutes, and that's just the average, meaning a lot of people are doing significantly more. This isn't a city where living far from the office is a comfortable bet. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 42°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 13% below US
32% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 32% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial (20 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Rio Vista's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,724/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Rio Vista
All California guides →Moving to Pittsburg →
15 mi away · pop. 76,257
Rent $2,264/mo · Income $99,861
Compare with Rio Vista →Moving to Brentwood →
17 mi away · pop. 65,208
Rent $2,758/mo · Income $142,494
Compare with Rio Vista →Not sure Rio Vista is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.