Riverside, CA

Census place 0662000 · pop 319,069

F27/ 100
💀 Bad
F
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.59% · top 16%
🚽 Bad air147 days · bottom 1%
Taxes
0.59% 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

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level147 days0

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

147 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.

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.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1002

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.

Unemployment rateCounty-level5.0%12

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

5.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. 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.

Violent crime rate591/100k12

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

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

Property crime rate2888/100k13

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

2888 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Housing cost$584,80015

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

$584,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Population growth (5yr)-2.3%17

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

-2.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Rent$2,381/mo20

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

$2,381/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Uninsured adults13.6%23

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

13.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health18.5%29

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

18.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Homeownership56.8%30

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

56.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Physical inactivity27.3%38

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

27.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Adult obesity36.7%39

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

36.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Bachelor's degree or higher25.7%39

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

25.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poverty rate12.2%47

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

12.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Income inequality0.4262

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Adult smoking11.5%68

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

11.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$91,04568

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

$91,045 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Broadband access94.3%72

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

94.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Property-tax burden0.59%84

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

0.59% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Frequently asked

Is Riverside, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Riverside scores 27/100 — 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 unhealthy air days. 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 Riverside, CA?
Riverside reports 591 violent crimes per 100k and 2888 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Riverside, CA expensive to live in?
Riverside has a median home value of $584,800 and typical rent around $2,381/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Riverside, CA?
Its weakest measured area is unhealthy air days (147 days) — 0/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Riverside, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.59%) — 84/100, 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.