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 nearly 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 is the case with most of California, living in paradise will 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.

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.

We highly recommend visiting Rancho Cucamonga and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our partnership with Expedia as well

If you’re a parent looking for a new home in the Inland Empire (east of LA) then Rancho Cucamonga is an excellent place to start your search. It has better homes and better schools in an area that will let you take a breather from LA or San Diego madness but you still get to enjoy the SoCal weather.