Colton, CA
Census place 0614890 · pop 53,772
A San Bernardino-area city built up around the Colton Crossing, a historic Southern Pacific–Santa Fe railroad junction.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
87 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
144 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
19.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
16.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.8% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
52.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-1.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
403 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$443,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2118 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
29.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
28 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,030/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
13.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$71,208 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
35.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.63% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.39 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
Frequently asked
- Is Colton, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Colton scores 28/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is income inequality and its weakest is air quality (aqi). California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Colton, CA?
- Colton reports 403 violent crimes per 100k and 2118 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Colton, CA expensive to live in?
- Colton has a median home value of $443,800 and typical rent around $2,030/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Colton, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is air quality (aqi) (87 AQI) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Colton, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is income inequality (0.39) — 82/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: A San Bernardino-area city built up around the Colton Crossing, a historic Southern Pacific–Santa Fe railroad junction.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.