Montclair, CA

Census place 0648788 · pop 37,810

F23/ 100
💀 Bad
F
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.56% · top 14%
🚽 Air87 AQI · bottom 1%
Taxes
0.56% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Air quality (AQI)County-level87 AQI1

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.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level144 days1

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.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1003

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.

Property crime rate3769/100k6

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

3769 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Uninsured adults19.1%9

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

19.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Violent crime rate674/100k9

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

674 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Population growth (5yr)-3.4%13

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-3.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Rent$2,660/mo13

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,660/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.8%15

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.

Housing cost$569,10016

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$569,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Commute time30 min16

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

30 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Bachelor's degree or higher18.8%19

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

18.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Physical inactivity30.7%22

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

30.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poverty rate17.7%24

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

17.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Homeownership54.8%24

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

54.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Poor mental health18.1%35

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult smoking13.1%51

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

13.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$77,65954

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$77,659 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult obesity34.1%55

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

34.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Broadband access92.6%59

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

92.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Income inequality0.4166

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Property-tax burden0.56%86

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.56% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Frequently asked

Is Montclair, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Montclair scores 23/100 — 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 property-tax burden 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 Montclair, CA?
Montclair reports 674 violent crimes per 100k and 3769 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Montclair, CA expensive to live in?
Montclair has a median home value of $569,100 and typical rent around $2,660/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Montclair, 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 Montclair, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.56%) — 86/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.