Ontario, CA

Census place 0653896 · pop 180,547

F31/ 100
💀 Bad
D−
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.60% · top 17%
🚽 Air87 AQI · bottom 1%
Taxes
0.60% 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.

Commute time31 min12

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

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

Uninsured adults17.0%12

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

17.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Housing cost$607,60014

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

$607,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$2,616/mo14

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

$2,616/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.

Bachelor's degree or higher22.5%30

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

22.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Homeownership58.0%33

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

58.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Property crime rate1830/100k33

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

1830 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Physical inactivity27.6%36

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

27.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Violent crime rate272/100k39

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

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

Poor mental health17.8%40

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

17.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Population growth (5yr)+2.1%45

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

+2.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Poverty rate12.4%45

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

12.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Adult obesity33.6%58

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

33.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Adult smoking12.0%63

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

12.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$88,94166

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

$88,941 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Income inequality0.4172

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).

Broadband access94.9%78

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

94.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Property-tax burden0.60%83

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

0.60% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Frequently asked

Is Ontario, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Ontario scores 31/100 — 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 Ontario, CA?
Ontario reports 272 violent crimes per 100k and 1830 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Ontario, CA expensive to live in?
Ontario has a median home value of $607,600 and typical rent around $2,616/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Ontario, 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 Ontario, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.60%) — 83/100, 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.