Rancho Cucamonga, California

Getting its title from the Tongva word for “sandy place,” Rancho Cucamonga’s climate lives up to what you'd expect based on its namesake. With close to 300 sunny days per year and Mediterranean weather year round, the weather in Rancho Cucamonga is a SoCal experience. With proximity to the gorgeous San Gabriel Mountains, Angeles National Forests, a variety of beaches, and, of course, Los Angeles, you’ll have more than enough outlets to enjoy that year round warmth as well.

Review of the city from a 2nd generation resident:
My family moved here in the 80s, it was great. Now my kids go to the same schools I did as a kid. Things are different, but that’s more of a sign of the times. We have well maintained walking/cycling trails. We have a minor league baseball team. Some of the newer areas have municipal fiber internet. We’re 45 minutes from everything, mountains, desert, beaches, big city thrills. We recently won “All America City” last year. Our public libraries won the top prize a couple of years ago.

For more reviews of what living in Rancho Cucamonga is like from locals check out: The Buzz

As is the case with most of California, living in paradise is going to cost you a pretty penny. Housing costs are not just well above the national median, but the San Bernardino County median as well. Not only will your house cost you, but other necessities like food, taxes, gas and more will be expensive as well. It’s a bit cheaper than LA, but that’s like saying something is a bit cooler than an August afternoon in Rancho Cucamonga: it’s not saying much.

Here's a note from a local about Rancho:
Since everyone seems to be touching on it, it occurs to me that the IE gets flack not because the IE is horrible, but that all the really cool stuff is somewhere else. It's super convenient that everything is an hour away. But that means everything is an hour away. Rancho itself is nice but a little dull; because whenever you want to do something cool, it means leaving Rancho. I do like the area though, anywhere as nice/better gets ridiculously expensive.

Rancho Cucamonga is often described as one of the more “mellow” and “sleepy” suburban corners of the Los Angeles area. Like the rest of that area, a car is a necessity for living in Rancho Cucamonga due to the general sprawl and lack of public transportation, although what you can reach with that car likely will make this worth it.

Spending time outside is a big pastime for residents with a variety of local parks in addition to the aforementioned San Gabriel Mountains, Angeles National Forests, and beaches. Rancho Cucamonga is popular with families, which can be attributed in large part to its great public schools and comforting safety scores compared to the rest of the area. For young professionals and those without kids, however, Rancho Cucamonga can feel isolating. Residents complain that there’s not all that much to do at night without driving into LA. It would probably make more sense for those without kids to stick closer to LA.

If you want to see what happens in Rancho Cucamonga check out the calendar of events: https://www.cityofrc.us/events