Many people consider Rancho Cucamonga the crown gem of the Inland Empire, and they couldn’t be more right. This suburban city is impressive in many respects and could be the ideal place for you to live. So, what’re the pros and cons of living in Rancho Cucamonga?
As one of the happiest cities in the US, the benefits of living in Rancho Cucamonga include a beautiful climate, family-friendliness, safety, location, and several activities. But it isn’t devoid of faults either. The disadvantages are the high cost of living, traffic, and no seasonal variations.
Despite these disadvantages, Rancho Cucamonga is still a fantastic city and one of the best places in San Bernardino County. Here, we look at Rancho Cucamonga and whether this city is a delightful place to live.
Quick navigation
Pros of Living in Rancho Cucamonga
Located near the San Gabriel mountains, this city of less than 200,000 offers lots of qualities that make it a desirable place to live. They include:
1. Beautiful Mediterranean Climate
Rancho Cucamonga is within Southern California, the region with one of the best climates in the whole country. Unsurprisingly, the weather here is great. It’s always sunny in Rancho, and you can’t find snow. In the winters, it rains, but the weather never gets cold to the point of freezing. BestPlaces Comfort Index rated its weather 8.7/10 in terms of comfortability.
2. Family-friendly and Diverse City
If you’re looking for a family-friendly town with enough diversity, Rancho Cucamonga should be considered. This city has all the amenities and qualities that make for a family-friendly city. The public schools in the city are great, performing slightly above the national average. The average test score here is 2% higher than the national average and the student-teacher ratio is 23:1.
The city also has several amenities that make it an ideal place to live. With an A+ rating for amenities according to AreaVibes, amenities in this city are easily accessible. It is also diverse, with about 40% of its residents belonging to minority ethnic groups.
3. Safety
Another positive quality of this city is its low crime rate. If you’re looking for a city to live in, California, this is one of the safest in San Bernardino County. The total crime rate is 20% below the California average and 11% lower than the national average. Compared to the US average, Property crimes are 9% lower, and the violent crimes rate is lower by 26%.
The chances of being a crime victim here are minimal. You have only a 1 in 46 chance, and the city is safer than 39% of US cities. In addition, the crime rates continue to decrease year on year.
4. Happy City
In 2018, this city was part of the happiest towns to live in the United States. This is a result of its wellbeing, community and environment, and income and employment. The city continues to excel over the years. For example, in 2020, the national civic league named it one of the ten All-America cities due to its efforts and improvements in healthcare and wellbeing.
5. Ideal Location
The centralized location of the town is one of the things that makes it a great residential community. No matter where you are heading from here, you can get there in no time. San Diego is less than two hours away, Palms Springs is slightly above an hour, and Low Angeles is 45 minutes by car. The town isn’t only close to major cities; it’s also close to nature. You can easily access beaches and mountains from here.
6. Several Activities for Residents
The weather already makes Rancho Cucamonga an outdoor town. With so much sunshine all through the year, you can bask in the sunlight all you want. But there are attractions to visit and activities to do that make your time outside a fun one. Los Angeles is very near, and you can easily access the San Gabriel mountains from here. Hiking, camping, biking, etc., are all possible here.
If you’re someone who enjoys the nightlife, this city has it too. There are wineries, breweries, live music, eateries, and several other places in the city. You’re going to have fun.
Major attractions here include the Pacific Inland Empire Trail, Angeles National Forest, Victoria Gardens, Joseph Filippi Winery, Rancho Cucamonga Epicenter Entertainment & Adult Sports Complex, North Etiwanda Preserve, etc.
Cons of Living in Rancho Cucamonga
Just like the happiest person in the world isn’t without problems, one of the happiest cities in the US has issues of its own. As a resident here, you’ll have to deal with these issues.
1. Expensive Living Costs
The high cost of living is one of the things you have to grapple with when living here. This city is one of the most expensive cities to live in San Bernardino County. Its cost of living is 40.8% above the national average. Even though this is lower than the California average, it’s still expensive compared to other cities in the United States. However, healthcare is cheaper here compared to the national average.
One of the things that contribute immensely to the costly expenses here is housing. Houses here are pretty expensive, judging by the national standards. But those who have lived in major cities in California know that homes here aren’t so expensive. The average price is $677,862, far ahead of the national average price of $298,933. So, if you’re moving here from another part of the country, you should be prepared for all the extra expenses you’ll incur.
2. Traffic Congestion
Another challenge of living here is the traffic. The inland empire has a track record of congestion which is one of the worst in the country. As part of that area, Rancho Cucamonga also experiences heavy traffic. Walk Score gives the city a transit score of 25, which shows that there are limited transport options here. The bike score is 46, and the walk score is 40, showing you need a car for most errands.
- Single-Season City
Even though many enjoy the weather here, there are no distinct seasons which can be a challenge for some people. If you’re someone who wants to have the classic four seasons, Rancho Cucamonga isn’t for you.
In Conclusion
Rancho Cucamonga has an excellent livability score of 73/100, showing that it’s a great place to live. While this city isn’t without its faults, the benefits of living there outweigh the cost. So, it might be the perfect place for you.
