Corona CA vs Rio Rancho NM — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Corona, CA

California · Population: 158,839

  • Median HH Income$106,438
  • Median Home Price$765,560
  • Unemployment5.4%
  • Bachelor's+30.9%

Rio Rancho, NM

New Mexico · Population: 47,823

  • Median HH Income$50,294
  • Median Home Price$362,476
  • Unemployment5.9%
  • Bachelor's+19.6%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Corona
158,839
Corona +
Rio Rancho
47,823
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Corona
N/A
Rio Rancho
N/A
Median Age
Corona
37.3
Rio Rancho
36.8
Rio Rancho +
Foreign Born
Corona
24.2%
Corona +
Rio Rancho
11.6%
White
Corona
41.6%
Rio Rancho
62.2%
Rio Rancho +
Black
Corona
5.3%
Corona +
Rio Rancho
1.8%
Asian
Corona
11.5%
Corona +
Rio Rancho
1.6%
Hispanic
Corona
48.3%
Rio Rancho
61.1%
Rio Rancho +
Spanish at Home
Corona
N/A
Rio Rancho
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Corona
$106,438
Corona +
Rio Rancho
$50,294
Per Capita Income
Corona
$40,453
Corona +
Rio Rancho
$28,418
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Corona
$77,230
Corona +
Rio Rancho
$53,141
Unemployment Rate
Corona
5.4%
Corona +
Rio Rancho
5.9%
Poverty Rate
Corona
9.1%
Corona +
Rio Rancho
24.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
Corona
30.9%
Corona +
Rio Rancho
19.6%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Corona
$765,560
Rio Rancho
$362,476
Rio Rancho +
Homeownership Rate
Corona
63.4%
Rio Rancho
66.4%
Rio Rancho +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Corona
503
Corona +
Rio Rancho
834
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Corona
2388
Corona +
Rio Rancho
3177

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Corona
35.1%
Rio Rancho
31.9%
Rio Rancho +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Corona
11.1%
Rio Rancho
10.6%
Rio Rancho +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Corona
17.2%
Rio Rancho
15.4%
Rio Rancho +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Corona
11.1%
Corona +
Rio Rancho
11.5%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Corona
15.1%
Rio Rancho
15.0%
Rio Rancho +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Corona
10.8%
Rio Rancho
10.5%
Rio Rancho +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Corona
N/A
Rio Rancho
55.7°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Corona
N/A
Rio Rancho
12.3 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Corona
7.9 µg/m³
Rio Rancho
6.1 µg/m³
Rio Rancho +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Corona
75.0%
Rio Rancho
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Corona
38.4 min
Rio Rancho
19.1 min
Rio Rancho +

Which City is Right for You?

Corona leads in median household income at $106,438, while rio Rancho offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $362,476. On public safety, Corona is safer with a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 residents, compared to 834 in Rio Rancho. Corona has a lower unemployment rate at 5.4%, and Rio Rancho has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 6.1 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Rio Rancho scores better with a lower obesity rate of 31.9%.

Compare More Cities

About Corona & Rio Rancho