Ontario receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Barstow
Ontario
Opportunity
26 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Bottom 42%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs57 · Top 37%
Climate
53 · Bottom 2%
vs89 · Top 5%
Physical resilience
7 · Bottom 2%
vs7 · Bottom 2%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 30%
vs46 · Bottom 7%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs100 · Top 1%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 9%
vs61 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Barstow | Ontario | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,100 | 180,547 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,380 | $88,941 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,121 | $32,506 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 608/sq mi | 3,612/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,000 | $607,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,091 | $2,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.7% | 58.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.4% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.2% | 22.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.1% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 1,113 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | -36.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 105°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 3.8" | 11.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 54 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 33.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.7 | 33.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.76 | 22.07 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.3% | 80.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Barstow
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Ontario
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Barstow, CA · Ontario, CA · How this is calculated: methodology