Daly City CA vs Riverside CA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

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

Daly City, CA

California · Population: 102,560

  • Median HH Income$119,570
  • Median Home Price$1,134,511
  • Unemployment5.0%
  • Bachelor's+38.0%

Riverside, CA

California · Population: 316,241

  • Median HH Income$88,575
  • Median Home Price$648,603
  • Unemployment6.0%
  • Bachelor's+25.7%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Daly City
102,560
Riverside
316,241
Riverside +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Daly City
N/A
Riverside
N/A
Median Age
Daly City
41.7
Riverside
33.1
Riverside +
Foreign Born
Daly City
50.9%
Daly City +
Riverside
22.4%
White
Daly City
16.4%
Riverside
39.2%
Riverside +
Black
Daly City
3.0%
Riverside
6.0%
Riverside +
Asian
Daly City
58.8%
Daly City +
Riverside
8.3%
Hispanic
Daly City
21.4%
Riverside
54.6%
Riverside +
Spanish at Home
Daly City
N/A
Riverside
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Daly City
$119,570
Daly City +
Riverside
$88,575
Per Capita Income
Daly City
$48,219
Daly City +
Riverside
$33,716
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Daly City
$77,230
Riverside
$77,230
Tie
Unemployment Rate
Daly City
5.0%
Daly City +
Riverside
6.0%
Poverty Rate
Daly City
7.2%
Daly City +
Riverside
12.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
Daly City
38.0%
Daly City +
Riverside
25.7%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Daly City
$1,134,511
Riverside
$648,603
Riverside +
Homeownership Rate
Daly City
60.5%
Daly City +
Riverside
56.3%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Daly City
503
Riverside
503
Tie
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Daly City
2388
Riverside
2388
Tie

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Daly City
20.0%
Daly City +
Riverside
36.7%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Daly City
12.0%
Riverside
11.2%
Riverside +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Daly City
13.3%
Daly City +
Riverside
18.5%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Daly City
7.9%
Daly City +
Riverside
13.6%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Daly City
12.5%
Daly City +
Riverside
15.2%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Daly City
8.7%
Daly City +
Riverside
11.5%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Daly City
N/A
Riverside
66.8°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Daly City
N/A
Riverside
10.3 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Daly City
7.9 µg/m³
Riverside
7.9 µg/m³
Tie
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Daly City
75.0%
Riverside
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Daly City
31.9 min
Daly City +
Riverside
34.1 min

Which City is Right for You?

Daly City leads in median household income at $119,570, while riverside offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $648,603. On public safety, Riverside is safer with a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Daly City. Daly City has a lower unemployment rate at 5.0%, and Riverside has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Daly City scores better with a lower obesity rate of 20.0%.

Compare More Cities

About Daly City & Riverside