Signals
Big Bear City
Fontana
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 25%
vs52 · Bottom 40%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs89 · Top 5%
Physical resilience
7 · Bottom 2%
vs7 · Bottom 2%
Housing affordability
40 · Bottom 4%
vs66 · Bottom 28%
Access
89 · Bottom 39%
vs100 · Top 1%
Economic stability
25 · Bottom 4%
vs68 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Big Bear City | Fontana | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,431 | 214,169 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,511 | $102,821 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,765 | $33,149 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 357/sq mi | 4,948/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $463,500 | $586,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,854 | $1,839 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.8% | 66.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.7% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 9.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 80°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.0" | 11.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 34.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.2 | 33.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.08 | 22.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.3% | 77.9% | 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
Big Bear City
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Fontana
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Big Bear City
45
Your Score
—
Area Score
Fontana
63
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Big Bear City, CA · Fontana, CA · How this is calculated: methodology