Fontana vs Midland
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $319,200 in Midland and $586,800 in Fontana.
- Households earn more in Fontana ($102,821 vs $89,585 median).
- Fontana has the warmer winter: January highs of 68°F vs 59°F.
- Midland has more scorching days: 115 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 93.
- Midland is growing faster: +11.1% since 2020 vs +6.1%.
- Commutes are shorter in Midland (20 vs 33 minutes each way).
- Texas has no state income tax on wages; California's top rate is 13.3%.
Side by side
| Fontana, CA | Midland, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 221,223 | 147,615 |
| Growth since 2020 | +6.1% | +11.1% |
| People per square mile | 5,111 | 1,938 |
| Median age | 33.8 | 31.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $102,821 | $89,585 |
| Median home value | $586,800 | $319,200 |
| Home value to income | 5.7× | 3.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,839 | $1,434 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 95.2 | 95.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 66.3 | 101.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $71,400 | $71,800 |
| Homeowners | 67% | 65% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 8.2% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 33.4 | 20.1 |
| Work from home | 13% | 6% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.5% | 3.5% |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 12.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 68° / 45° | 59° / 33° |
| July high / low | 94° / 65° | 96° / 73° |
| Precipitation per year | 12 in | 14 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 4 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 93 | 115 |
| Nights below freezing | 2 | 58 |
| Comfortable months | 8 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.8 | 81.2 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 28% | n/a |
| Home prices, past year | +3.8% | +4.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +46.9% | +27.5% |
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: Fontana: October to May. Midland: March to April and October.
Full monthly tables: Fontana weather by month and Midland weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $71,400 in Fontana and $71,800 in Midland. Moving from Fontana to Midland, you would need about $75,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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