The Town FilesOntario, California
City in San Bernardino County · population 175,265 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $607,600
- Household income
- $88,941
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 33.5
Ontario is a city of 175,265 people in San Bernardino County, California. The median home is worth $607,600, close to the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 87% of California towns, more walkable than 80% of California towns, more of a college town than 79% of California towns.
How Ontario ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ontario is worth $607,600, close to the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.8 times the median household income of $88,941, which is more affordable than 43% of California towns. Median rent is $2,030 a month. 58.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ontario | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $607,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,030 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $88,941 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Ontario
| People | Ontario | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.7% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Ontario
July highs average 93.8°F and January lows 44.6°F. About 11.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 93 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Ontario since 1950.
Severe weather in San Bernardino County since 1996
San Bernardino County has been included in 61 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5537: Bridge Fire |
| September 7, 2024 | Fire | FM-5535: Line Fire |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County had 845,908 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,368 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Ontario itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Ontario
39 public schools with 25,766 students, about 21.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chaffey High | 9-12 | 3,223 | 23.9 |
| Ontario High | 9-12 | 2,121 | 22.3 |
| Colony High | 9-12 | 2,085 | 24.0 |
| Park View Elementary | K-6 | 823 | 24.2 |
| Ray Wiltsey Middle | 6-8 | 741 | 18.1 |
| Central Language Academy | K-8 | 733 | 25.3 |
| Edison Elementary | K-8 | 729 | 26.0 |
| Oaks Middle | 7-8 | 682 | 20.7 |
| Ranch View Elementary | K-6 | 678 | 25.1 |
| Richard Haynes Elementary | K-6 | 661 | 22.8 |
| Berlyn Elementary | K-6 | 629 | 21.7 |
| Sultana Elementary | K-6 | 621 | 20.7 |
Towns near Ontario
- Eastvale, CA5.3 mi · 69,757 people · home $831,900
- Chino, CA5.5 mi · 91,403 people · home $683,400
- Montclair, CA5.8 mi · 37,865 people · home $569,100
- Upland, CA6.3 mi · 79,040 people · home $739,400
- Rancho Cucamonga, CA6.8 mi · 174,453 people · home $740,200
- Jurupa Valley, CA8.3 mi · 105,053 people · home $574,600
- Norco, CA8.3 mi · 26,316 people · home $782,400
- Claremont, CA8.7 mi · 37,266 people · home $897,000
Ontario questions
Is Ontario, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ontario scores better for retirees than 8% of California towns and quieter than 10%. 10.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.5).
How much does a house cost in Ontario?
The median owner-occupied home in Ontario is valued at $607,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,941, so homes cost about 6.8 times income. Median rent is $2,030 a month.
What is the weather like in Ontario?
July highs average 93.8°F and January lows 44.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Ontario get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Ontario in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)