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Compare towns

Palmdale vs Rialto

52 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (59.1× in Palmdale) and street grid (2.4× in Rialto).

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Palmdale, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 164,634 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 part ways

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 $410 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.

Palmdale$3,020/mo
Typical home $500K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $1,802/mo · Housing →
Rialto$3,430/mo
Typical home $590K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $1,759/mo · Housing →

The difference: $410 a month, about $5,000 a year, between Rialto and Palmdale.

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

Palmdale places higher on 11 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
PalmdaleRialto
Snow a year0″0″
January low35°F43°F
July high98°F95°F
Growing season (days)248d353d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th94th
Outdoors & history
PalmdaleRialto
Conserved land7.7%1.2%
Settled18861911
National Register places—2
Archive photos919
Famous people born here3718
Community
PalmdaleRialto
Library hours a week56 hrs34 hrs
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

52 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Palmdale ↔ Rialto52 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.

PalmdaleRialto
People
Population 164,634Highest 104,143Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.9%Highest CA: +6.1% +4.9%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 33±0.8Highest 13% below CA 32.6±0.8Lowest 14% below CA
Palmdale and Rialto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.5%±1.2Highest CA: 22% 26.7%±1.2Lowest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 11.1%±0.7Highest CA: 15.7% 10.8%±0.8Lowest CA: 15.7%
Palmdale and Rialto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.1%Highest CA: 37.1% 12.6%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.1%±0.5Highest CA: 7.6% 6.7%±0.6Lowest CA: 7.6%
Palmdale and Rialto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $81,770±$3kLowest 18% below CA $88,857±$4kHighest 10% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $471,000±$7kLowest 36% below CA $487,900±$10kHighest 34% below CA
Rialto and Palmdale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,802±$60Highest 11% below CA $1,759±$59Lowest 14% below CA
Palmdale and Rialto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,493Highest 12% below CA $3,374Lowest 34% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 64%±4.8Highest CA: 55.3% 58.6%±5Lowest CA: 55.3%
Palmdale and Rialto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 15.7%Highest CA: 12% 12.7%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66.2% CA: 55.9% 66.2% CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1989Highest 13 yrs newer than CA 1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 40 minHighest 39% above CA 32 minLowest 11% above CA
Work from home 9.1%±0.9Highest CA: 17.2% 7.8%±1.1Lowest CA: 17.2%
Palmdale and Rialto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 15.3%Highest 8.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 34.8 miHighest 12.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.57Lowest 1.00Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (22%)San Bernardino (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RialtoFew work in Palmdale
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.7%Highest 1.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 189.1 miHighest 3.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 15Highest 11Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 34.7Lowest 81.9Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #484 of 574 in CA#349 of 574 in CA
School district Antelope Valley ROP · Antelope Valley Union HighColton Joint Unified · Fontana Unified
High school in town Highland HighEisenhower High
Students per teacherat that high school 25.2Highest 21.4Lowest
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.

Palmdale neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Palmdale Hidden Gems

1 neighbor in Palmdale can answer.

Rialto neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rialto’s Town Square.

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Bordering Palmdale

Towns like Palmdale

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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