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Compare towns

Colton vs Rialto

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (5.4× in Colton) and household income (+25% in Rialto).

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Colton, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 53,772 people
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Rialto, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 104,143 people
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.

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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $570 more a month in Rialto

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 →
Rialto$3,430/mo
Typical home $590K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $1,759/mo · Housing →

The difference: $570 a month, about $6,900 a year, between Rialto 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.

Where they are

Colton and Rialto share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

ColtonRialtoColtonRialto
Colton ↔ Rialto5.9 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
1,053 Rialto residents work in Colton (2.6% of its workers)
1,020 Colton residents work in Rialto (4.5% of its workers)
Work & commute in Rialto →
Report cards

Colton places higher on 14 of 23 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.

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
ColtonRialto
Snow a year0″0″
January low43°F43°F
July high95°F95°F
Growing season (days)353d353d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)98th94th
Outdoors & history
ColtonRialto
Trails17 mi3 mi
Conserved land2.7%1.2%
Settled—1911
National Register places12
Archive photos119
Famous people born here1718
Community
ColtonRialto
Library hours a week46 hrs34 hrs
Colleges in town11
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.

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.

ColtonRialto
People
Population 53,772Lowest 104,143Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.4%Lowest CA: +6.1% +4.9%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 33.9±1.2Highest 11% below CA 32.6±0.8Lowest 14% below CA
Colton and Rialto 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% 26.7%±1.2Highest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 11.3%±1.1Highest CA: 15.7% 10.8%±0.8Lowest CA: 15.7%
Colton and Rialto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.6%Highest CA: 37.1% 12.6%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7%±1Highest CA: 7.6% 6.7%±0.6Lowest CA: 7.6%
Colton and Rialto 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 $88,857±$4kHighest 10% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $443,800±$8kLowest 40% below CA $487,900±$10kHighest 34% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,661±$55Lowest 18% below CA $1,759±$59Highest 14% below CA
Rialto and Colton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,809Lowest 45% below CA $3,374Highest 34% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 56.9%±5.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 58.6%±5Highest CA: 55.3%
Rialto and Colton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 13.7%Highest CA: 12% 12.7%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 52.8%Lowest CA: 55.9% 66.2%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than CA 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 4% below CA 32 minHighest 11% above CA
Work from home 9.1%±3.3Highest CA: 17.2% 7.8%±1.1Lowest CA: 17.2%
Colton and Rialto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.3%Lowest 8.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 12.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.07Highest 1.00Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Bernardino (13%)San Bernardino (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 4% work in Rialto3% work in Colton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.7%Highest 1.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 17.4 miHighest 3.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.1 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 11 11
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 65.7Lowest 81.9Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #382 of 574 in CA#349 of 574 in CA
School district Colton Joint Unified · Rialto UnifiedColton Joint Unified · Fontana Unified
High school in town Colton HighEisenhower High
Students per teacherat that high school 19.4Lowest 21.4Highest
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.

Rialto neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rialto’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Colton

Towns like Colton

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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