Caldwell vs Riverside
The short version
- Caldwell is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 8% lower than in the Riverside area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $367,300 in Caldwell and $584,800 in Riverside.
- Households earn more in Riverside ($91,045 vs $73,058 median).
- Riverside has the warmer winter: January highs of 68°F vs 40°F.
- Caldwell gets far more snow: 10 inches a year vs 0.
- Riverside has more scorching days: 100 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 59.
- Caldwell is growing faster: +27.4% since 2020 vs +2.4%.
- Commutes are shorter in Caldwell (25 vs 31 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Caldwell, ID | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 76,629 | 323,057 |
| Growth since 2020 | +27.4% | +2.4% |
| People per square mile | 3,049 | 3,981 |
| Median age | 31.5 | 33.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20% | 26% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $73,058 | $91,045 |
| Median home value | $367,300 | $584,800 |
| Home value to income | 5.0× | 6.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,264 | $1,914 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 98.4 | 106.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 105.6 | 129.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,800 | $79,800 |
| Homeowners | 73% | 57% |
| Top state income tax | 5.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.6 | 31.3 |
| Work from home | 12% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5% | 6.3% |
| Poverty rate | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 40° / 23° | 68° / 44° |
| July high / low | 93° / 57° | 93° / 64° |
| Precipitation per year | 11 in | 9 in |
| Snowfall per year | 10 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 59 | 100 |
| Nights below freezing | 132 | 4 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 8 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 71.7 | 99.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 50% | 7% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.7% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +25.7% | +35.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Caldwell: May to June and September. Riverside: October to May.
Full monthly tables: Caldwell weather by month and Riverside weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,800 in Caldwell and $79,800 in Riverside. Moving from Caldwell to Riverside, you would need about $81,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Caldwell and Riverside
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Caldwell and Riverside.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.