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Compare towns

Colton vs Montclair

21 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (19.3× in Colton) and home values (+28% in Montclair).

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Colton, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 53,772 people
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Montclair, CAHomes around $653KCalifornia · 37,810 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

ColtonOne of the healthiest towns
Health65% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$495K typical home35% below the CA typical home SchoolsBetter than 38%of CA districts All about Colton →
MontclairHomes around $653K
Housing$653K typical home15% below the CA typical home Schools#111 for schools in CAof 574 towns Outdoors#171 most walkable in CA0.9 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves All about Montclair →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails19.3×
Colton has more miles of trail
Colton 17.4 miMontclair 0.9 mi
Home values+28%
Homes cost more in Montclair
Montclair $569,100Colton $443,800
Street grid+74%
Montclair has the more walkable street grid
Montclair 114Colton 65.7
Rent+14%
Rent runs higher in Montclair
Montclair $1,889Colton $1,661
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $870 more a month in Montclair

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Colton$2,860/mo
Typical home $495K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $1,661/mo · Housing →
Montclair$3,730/mo
Typical home $653K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $1,889/mo · Housing →

The difference: $870 a month, about $10,400 a year, between Montclair and Colton.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Colton places higher on 11 of 22 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
C−ColtonSafer than 18% of U.S. towns DMontclairSafer than 5% of U.S. towns
Schools
C+ColtonBetter than 38% of districts in the state A−MontclairBetter than 81% of districts in the state
Health
CColtonHealthier than 35% of U.S. towns CMontclairHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns
11Colton
7Montclair

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #329#69 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #382#111 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #456#171 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 422 towns #236#368 SafestSafety · 411 towns #311#390 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #396#545 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #286#412 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #538#650

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Colton’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
ColtonMontclair
Snow a year0″0″
January low43°F43°F
July high95°F90°F
Growing season (days)353d354d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)98th98th
Outdoors & history
ColtonMontclair
Trails17 mi1 mi
Conserved land2.7%1.6%
Settled—1956
National Register places1—
Archive photos15
Famous people born here1716
Community
ColtonMontclair
Library hours a week46 hrs15 hrs
Colleges in town1—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

21 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColtonMontclairColtonMontclair
Colton ↔ Montclair21 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

ColtonMontclair
People
Population 53,772Highest 37,810Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.4%Highest CA: +6.1% +3.3%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 33.9±1.2Highest 11% below CA 33.7±1.7Lowest 11% below CA
Colton and Montclair are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.4%±1.7Lowest CA: 22% 23.5%±2.3Highest CA: 22%
Montclair and Colton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.3%±1.1Lowest CA: 15.7% 12.1%±1.2Highest CA: 15.7%
Montclair and Colton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.6%Lowest CA: 37.1% 18.8%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7%±1Lowest CA: 7.6% 9.4%±1.9Highest CA: 7.6%
Montclair and Colton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $71,208±$3kLowest 28% below CA $77,659±$9kHighest 22% below CA
Montclair and Colton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $443,800±$8kLowest 40% below CA $569,100±$14kHighest 23% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,661±$55Lowest 18% below CA $1,889±$111Highest 7% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,809Lowest 45% below CA $3,177Highest 38% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 56.9%±5.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 62.8%±8.7Highest CA: 55.3%
Montclair and Colton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 13.7%Lowest CA: 12% 17.7%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 52.8%Lowest CA: 55.9% 54.8%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than CA 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 4% below CA 30 minHighest 5% above CA
Work from home 9.1%±3.3Highest CA: 17.2% 6.5%±1.7Lowest CA: 17.2%
Colton and Montclair are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.3%Highest 4.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 16.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.07Highest 0.81Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Bernardino (13%)Ontario (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MontclairFew work in Colton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.7%Highest 1.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 17.4 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.1 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 11Highest 10Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 65.7Lowest 114Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #382 of 574 in CA#111 of 574 in CA
School district Colton Joint Unified · Rialto UnifiedChaffey Joint Union High · Ontario-Montclair
High school in town Colton HighMontclair High
Students per teacherat that high school 19.4Lowest 23.6Highest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Colton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colton’s Town Square.

Montclair neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Montclair’s Town Square.

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Bordering Colton

+ Compare
Grand Terrace13,078 people · $518K homes
+ Compare
San Bernardino222,724 people · $422K homes
R
+ Compare
Rialto104,143 people · $488K homes
L
+ Compare
Loma Linda25,122 people · $597K homes

Towns like Colton

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Lompoc43,646 people · $473K homes
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Yuba City69,471 people · $435K homes
+ Compare
Atwater32,162 people · $363K homes
D
+ Compare
Desert Hot Springs33,200 people · $355K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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