San Bernardino vs Upland

Which is the better fit for you?

San Bernardino, CA
39
Area Score
Bottom 2% nationally
Upland, CA
47
Area Score
Bottom 13% nationally

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Upland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.

If you are moving

What the difference in prices, rent, homes and weather comes to, using the published figures for the two places. Add your income to see what it would take to keep pace.

Moving from San Bernardino to Upland

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Everyday prices
About the same
Regional price level 107.3 against 107.3 (US = 100). Both places sit in the same price region, so the index cannot tell them apart.
Income to keep the same purchasing power
Enter your household income to see it.
A new two-bedroom lease
+$539 a month
HUD benchmarks it at $2,740 in Upland against $2,201 in San Bernardino.
The median home
75% more
$739,400 in Upland against $422,300 in San Bernardino.
The weather you would swap
Winters 1°F milder
Normal January lows are 45°F in Upland against 44°F in San Bernardino; July highs are 94°F against 93°F (summers 1°F hotter).

These are differences between published figures, not a forecast of your budget. Income and sales taxes, commuting, schools, insurance and the job you would actually get are not in them, and a price index describes a metropolitan area, so two places in one metro read the same. HUD’s rent is a benchmark for a new lease, not a listing.

Signals

San Bernardino
Upland
Opportunity: Upland is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 7%
vs
56 · Bottom 49%
Growth: San Bernardino is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
46 · Bottom 42%
vs
21 · Bottom 6%
Climate: San Bernardino is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
90 · Top 5%
vs
89 · Top 5%
Physical resilience
7 · Bottom 2%
vs
7 · Bottom 2%
Housing affordability: Upland is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 13%
vs
46 · Bottom 17%
Schools: Upland is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
12 · Bottom 5%
vs
45 · Bottom 44%
Access
100 · Top 1%
vs
100 · Top 1%
Economic stability: Upland is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 18%
vs
62 · Top 41%

Measured values

MetricSan BernardinoUplandSource period
Population222,72479,2572024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income$67,415$105,830 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income$25,328$47,483 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Population density3,586/sq mi5,086/sq mi2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value$422,300$739,4002024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent$1,508 — more favorable$2,0292024 ACS 5-Year
Market rent, two bedroom$2,201 — more favorable$2,740FY2026
Cost of living index107.3107.32023
Homeownership rate50.0%57.1%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment rate5.9%4.5% — more favorableJuly 2026
Employment change (year over year)−1.8%−1.8%July 2026
Bachelor's degree or higher13.1%37.3% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate18.6%8.7% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units permitted (12 months)1021212 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents0.5 — more favorable0.212 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)+126.7%−81.0%12 months ending July 2026
Average July high93°F94°F1991-2020 Normals
Average January low44°F45°F1991-2020 Normals
Annual precipitation9.4"11.6"1991-2020 Normals
Distance to major airport5 mi5 miNASR current cycle
Average commute31.4 min — more favorable33.5 min2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age32.237.72024 ACS 5-Year
Public schools79132024-25 school year
Students per teacher21.5 — more favorable23.02024-25 school year
Math proficiency24.9%40.5% — more favorable2018-19 school year
Reading proficiency40.3%55.5% — more favorable2018-19 school year
Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility91.3%66.9%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.

The number of units permitted is not marked because the larger place always permits more; the per-resident rate is the fair comparison. The year-over-year change is not marked either: a percentage on fewer than 300 units swings on a handful of permits.

Physical risk tradeoff

San Bernardino

Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.

Upland

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.

San Bernardino
—
San Bernardino: Your Score
39
Area Score
Upland
—
Upland: Your Score
47
Area Score

Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.

Full profiles: San Bernardino, CA · Upland, CA · How this is calculated: methodology