Fresno receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
San Bernardino
Fresno
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 10%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Growth
47 · Bottom 45%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
90 · Top 7%
vs70 · Bottom 47%
Physical resilience
7 · Bottom 2%
vs12 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 15%
vs62 · Bottom 30%
Access
100 · Top 2%
vs90 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 23%
vs48 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | San Bernardino | Fresno | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 222,724 | 545,970 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,415 | $70,991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,328 | $32,519 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,586/sq mi | 4,710/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $422,300 | $374,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,508 | $1,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.0% | 50.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 25.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.6% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 102 | 1,573 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 126.7% | 69.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 9.4" | 11.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 32.8 | 2024 ACS 5-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
San Bernardino
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Fresno
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
San Bernardino
54
Your Score
48
Area Score
Fresno
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
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Full profiles: San Bernardino, CA · Fresno, CA · How this is calculated: methodology