El Paso TX vs Fontana CA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

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

El Paso, TX

Texas · Population: 678,147

  • Median HH Income$58,734
  • Median Home Price$235,994
  • Unemployment6.2%
  • Bachelor's+27.5%

Fontana, CA

California · Population: 56,358

  • Median HH Income$111,797
  • Median Home Price$641,894
  • Unemployment6.3%
  • Bachelor's+44.9%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
El Paso
678,147
El Paso +
Fontana
56,358
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
El Paso
N/A
Fontana
N/A
Median Age
El Paso
34.1
El Paso +
Fontana
43.7
Foreign Born
El Paso
22.3%
Fontana
32.0%
Fontana +
White
El Paso
39.3%
Fontana
43.1%
Fontana +
Black
El Paso
3.6%
El Paso +
Fontana
1.2%
Asian
El Paso
1.5%
Fontana
36.5%
Fontana +
Hispanic
El Paso
81.3%
El Paso +
Fontana
17.4%
Spanish at Home
El Paso
N/A
Fontana
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
El Paso
$58,734
Fontana
$111,797
Fontana +
Per Capita Income
El Paso
$28,942
Fontana
$48,238
Fontana +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
El Paso
$63,758
Fontana
$77,230
Fontana +
Unemployment Rate
El Paso
6.2%
El Paso +
Fontana
6.3%
Poverty Rate
El Paso
18.4%
Fontana
7.3%
Fontana +
Bachelor's Degree+
El Paso
27.5%
Fontana
44.9%
Fontana +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
El Paso
$235,994
El Paso +
Fontana
$641,894
Homeownership Rate
El Paso
60.2%
Fontana
66.1%
Fontana +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
El Paso
442
El Paso +
Fontana
503
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
El Paso
2339
El Paso +
Fontana
2388

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
El Paso
33.8%
Fontana
33.2%
Fontana +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
El Paso
16.4%
Fontana
11.5%
Fontana +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
El Paso
17.2%
El Paso +
Fontana
17.6%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
El Paso
27.9%
Fontana
16.3%
Fontana +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
El Paso
16.5%
Fontana
16.1%
Fontana +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
El Paso
12.2%
Fontana
11.4%
Fontana +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
El Paso
64.3°F
Fontana
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
El Paso
10.5 in
Fontana
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
El Paso
9.2 µg/m³
Fontana
7.9 µg/m³
Fontana +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
El Paso
55.0%
Fontana
75.0%
Fontana +

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
El Paso
25.1 min
El Paso +
Fontana
28.1 min

Which City is Right for You?

Fontana leads in median household income at $111,797, while el Paso offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $235,994. On public safety, El Paso is safer with a violent crime rate of 442 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Fontana. El Paso has a lower unemployment rate at 6.2%, and Fontana has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Fontana scores better with a lower obesity rate of 33.2%.

Compare More Cities

About El Paso & Fontana