Comparing life in San Jose and Riverside varies greatly in terms of crime rates, weather, living expenses, education, and economic opportunities. San Jose, a significant tech hub in California, offers a high standard of living but comes with a higher cost of living, while Riverside boasts lower living expenses while providing ample outdoor activities. This guide will look into the details of living or visiting both areas and provide an outline on crime and safety, weather, cost of living, education, work and economy, and culture among others.
Distance between
San Jose, CA and
Riverside, CA : 341.9 miles
San Jose's population is larger by 210%. Its population has grown by 88,546 people (9.9%) since 2000. The population of Riverside has grown by 62,095 people (24.3%) during that time.
San Jose has relatively high crime rates compared to national averages, but has varied safety levels depending on the neighborhoods. Riverside, although not a crime-free city, has a crime rate that is lower than the state average. Public safety measures such as vigilant police patrols and community-conscious programs are adopted by both cities to enhance security.
City-data.com crime index counts serious crimes and violent crime more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 301.1)
City-data.com crime index counts serious crimes and violent crime more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 301.1)
Sex Offenders
According to our data, there are 1,847 registered sex offenders living in San Jose and 648 registered sex offenders living in . The ratio of residents to sex offenders in San Jose is 555 to 1; the ratio in Riverside is 501 to 1. The number of registered sex offenders compared to the number of residents in San Jose is near to than in Riverside.
Cost of Living
San Jose is significantly more expensive than Riverside. The high cost of living in San Jose is influenced mainly by housing costs and transportation. On the other hand, Riverside's cost of living is more affordable and is considered one of the less costly places to live in Southern California.
Income Tax
Individuals in both cities are subject to California's progressive income tax system. The rate ranges from 1% to 13.3%, depending on the income bracket.
Property Tax
While property taxes are generally high in California, they tend to be a bit higher in San Jose due, in large part, to the higher property values.
Sales Tax
California's state sales tax is 7.25%. However, with local taxes, the total sales tax rate is 9.25% for San Jose, and 8.75% for Riverside.
Income
Type
San Jose
Riverside
Estimated median household income
$126,377
$76,558
Estimated per capita income
$57,357
$29,013
Cost of living index (U.S. average is 100)
127.4
83
If you make $50,000 in Riverside, you will have to make $76,747 in San Jose to maintain the same standard of living.
Geographical Conditions
San Jose is surrounded by rolling hills in Silicon Valley, and it's close to the Pacific Ocean. Riverside is further inland, in the Inland Empire region, and offers many natural parks, mountains, and desert landscapes.
San Jose is known for its high-quality education and availability of prestigious schools, including San Jose State University and Stanford University nearby. Riverside is home to some decent educational institutions, such as the University of California, Riverside, and Riverside City College, but doesn't compete on the same educational level as San Jose.
San Jose is a part of Silicon Valley and has a thriving technology-driven economy. Riverside's economy is more diverse, with education, health services, and retail trade being significant sectors. The unemployment rate is generally lower in San Jose reflecting the abundant job opportunities in the region.
Biggest Employers
In San Jose, some of the biggest employers are tech giants like Cisco Systems, eBay, and Adobe Systems. Riverside's largest employers include the County of Riverside, University of California, and Riverside Unified School District.
There were 299 building permits issued in San Jose in 2012 (216 more than in 2011) compared to 293 building permits issued in Riverside in 2012 (250 more than in 2011).
In San Jose (Santa Clara County), 70.0% voted for Democrats and 27.1% for Republicans in 2012 Presidential Election. In Riverside (Riverside County), 49.6% voted for Democrats and 48.0% for Republicans.
Elections
Type
Democrats
Republicans
Other
Year
San Jose
Riverside
San Jose
Riverside
San Jose
Riverside
2020
72.7%
53.0%
25.2%
45.0%
2.1%
2.0%
2016
72.7%
49.7%
20.6%
44.4%
6.7%
5.9%
2012
70.0%
49.6%
27.1%
48.0%
2.9%
2.4%
2008
69.6%
50.4%
28.6%
48.1%
1.8%
1.5%
2004
64.3%
41.3%
34.8%
58.2%
0.9%
0.6%
2000
60.7%
45.0%
34.4%
51.6%
4.9%
3.4%
1996
56.9%
43.0%
32.2%
45.6%
11.0%
11.3%
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregation
Type
Adherents
Congregations
Religion
San Jose
Riverside
San Jose
Riverside
CATHOLIC CHURCH
25.1%
27.5%
6.0%
4.5%
MUSLIM ESTIMATE
1.1%
0.5%
1.8%
0.7%
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
0.9%
1.2%
7.7%
11.2%
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
0.5%
0.2%
2.3%
1.4%
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
0.4%
0.9%
2.6%
3.4%
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
0.3%
0.3%
2.3%
1.5%
Weather
San Jose experiences a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters, while Riverside is characterized by a semi-arid climate, with hot, dry summers, and mild, wet winters. Despite the seasonal variations, both cities enjoy ample sunshine, making them great destinations for outdoor enthusiasts.
Weather and climate
Type
San Jose
Riverside
Temperature - Average
60.9°F
66°F
Humidity - Average morning or afternoon humidity
77.3%
66.7%
Humidity - Differences between morning and afternoon humidity
35.5%
21.4%
Humidity - Maximum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
87%
73.5%
Humidity - Minimum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
51.6%
52.1%
Precipitation - Yearly average
16.1 in
10.3 in
Snowfall - Yearly average
0 in
0 in
Clouds - Number of days clear of clouds
27.4%
27.3%
Sunshine amount - Average
73.8%
78.2%
Sunshine amount - Differences during a year
23%
21.5%
Sunshine amount - Maximum monthly
77.4%
84.2%
Sunshine amount - Minimum monthly
54.4%
62.6%
Wind speed - Average
10.3 mph
4.5 mph
Average climate in San Jose, California
Average climate in Riverside, California
Air pollution
Type
AQI
CO
NO2
OZONE
PB
PM10
PM25
SO2
Year
San Jose
Riverside
San Jose
Riverside
San Jose
Riverside
San Jose
Riverside
San Jose
Riverside
Riverside
San Jose
Riverside
San Jose
Riverside
2018
94
153
0.49
0.35
14.5
14.4
22.2
29.8
0.006
0.006
44.6
N/A
12.5
13.6
0.2
0.4
2017
91
151
0.50
0.34
14.6
14.7
23.5
31.5
0.004
0.004
48.4
N/A
10.2
14.8
0.2
0.3
2016
69
140
0.47
0.33
13.7
14.8
22.4
30.9
0.003
0.006
44.4
N/A
8.8
14.5
0.2
0.2
2015
84
147
0.52
0.33
15.4
14.5
22.3
30.8
0.004
0.004
43.6
N/A
9.2
15.4
0.3
0.3
2014
83
147
0.40
0.37
13.9
15.9
21.5
30.7
0.004
0.006
34.1
N/A
8.2
16.5
0.2
0.3
2013
90
147
0.41
0.38
15.2
16.4
20.8
29.2
0.005
0.006
33.2
N/A
12.4
16.4
0.3
0.2
2012
74
148
0.35
0.35
13.3
16.4
21.8
30.2
0.003
0.007
32.3
N/A
10.1
16.0
0.3
0.3
2011
83
150
0.37
0.37
14.8
16.3
20.6
32.0
0.003
0.006
33.1
N/A
12.3
15.2
0.3
0.3
2010
88
144
0.35
0.42
14.4
17.8
20.4
30.9
0.004
0.008
31.9
N/A
9.0
15.5
0.4
1.3
2009
89
151
0.40
0.37
14.7
20.0
18.2
29.0
0.004
0.009
38.0
N/A
9.3
19.6
0.3
1.5
2008
100
157
0.45
0.41
16.7
20.5
20.6
30.0
N/A
0.010
43.6
N/A
12.6
16.3
N/A
0.9
2007
92
135
0.44
0.65
16.6
20.8
20.0
28.3
0.009
0.011
N/A
N/A
11.1
N/A
N/A
1.6
2006
100
129
0.46
0.58
18.0
21.0
21.8
28.0
N/A
0.005
N/A
N/A
11.1
N/A
N/A
1.4
2005
95
134
0.68
0.53
18.6
22.8
20.0
27.3
N/A
0.012
N/A
N/A
11.6
N/A
N/A
3.3
2004
98
142
0.63
0.72
18.5
18.5
20.4
29.5
N/A
0.013
N/A
N/A
9.9
N/A
N/A
3.1
2003
87
144
0.73
0.75
20.6
22.7
19.1
28.5
N/A
0.013
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2.0
2002
78
142
0.65
0.82
19.5
24.9
18.0
28.5
0.006
0.015
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
0.2
2001
75
145
0.61
0.79
18.5
25.7
16.8
26.1
0.008
0.025
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
0.9
2000
65
157
0.66
0.82
18.9
24.2
15.6
25.0
0.009
0.031
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
1.2
Natural disasters
Type
San Jose
Riverside
Tornado activity compared to U.S. average
9%
17.4%
Earthquake activity compared to U.S. average
7,785.3%
7,322.6%
Natural disasters compared to U.S. average
19%
46%
Transportation
San Jose's public transit includes buses, light rail, trains, and many bike paths. It also has several freeways for commuting by car. Riverside has the Riverside Transit Agency for buses, Metrolink for rail commuting, and good freeway access.
Transport
Type
San Jose
Riverside
Amtrak stations
1
1
Amtrak stations nearby
3
3
FAA registered aircraft
553
307
FAA registered aircraft manufacturers and dealers
13
15
Means of transportation to work
Type
San Jose
Riverside
Bicycle
1%
0.5%
Bus
1.1%
0.9%
Carpooled
11.4%
9%
Car alone
80.5%
85.7%
Motorcycle
0.2%
0.3%
Railroad
0.2%
0.4%
Subway
0.2%
0.1%
Walked
3.3%
2.3%
Average travel time to work
Type
San Jose
Riverside
Average
29.2 min
31.3 min
Other means
27.9 min
28.7 min
Public transportation
48.5 min
45.3 min
Private vehicle occupancy
Type
San Jose
Riverside
Average
1.2
1.1
Drove alone
87.3%
89.1%
In 2 person carpool
8.9%
8.4%
In 3 person carpool
1.9%
2%
In 4 person carpool
1.1%
0.2%
In 5-6 person carpool
0.6%
0.2%
In 7+ person carpool
0.2%
0.1%
How many people usually rode to work in the car, truck or van.
Real Estate
The real estate market in San Jose is one of the priciest in the country, with a median home value significantly higher than the national average. Riverside offers a more affordable housing market, with a median home value close to or slightly above the national average.
Neighborhoods
San Jose offers diverse neighborhoods, each with its unique flair, such as Santana Row or Willow Glen. In Riverside, you can find neighborhoods that offer a suburban feel with plenty of parks like Canyon Crest and Victoria.
Houses and residents
Type
San Jose
Riverside
Houses
340,561
94,246
Average household size (people)
3.1
3.2
Median year apartment built
1979
1982
Median year house/condo built
1973
1974
Length of stay in the house since moving in
15.6 years
14.2 years
Houses occupied
322,881 (94.8%)
91,110 (96.7%)
Houses occupied by owners
179,797 (55.7%)
51,211 (56.2%)
Houses occupied by renters
143,084 (44.3%)
39,899 (43.8%)
Median rent asked for vacant for-rent units
$3,214
$1,277
Median monthly housing costs
$2,463
$1,680
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses and condos
$1,197,016
$414,585
Estimated median house or condo value
Over $1,000,000
$483,300
Median numbers of rooms
4.9
5.2
Median number of rooms in apartments
3.6
3.9
Median number of rooms in houses and condos
6
6.1
Median house price - detached houses
Over $1,000,000
$548,362
Median house price - in 2-unit structures
$753,788
$525,372
Median house price - in 3-to-4-unit structures
$680,453
$450,463
Median house price - in 5 or more unit structures
$688,625
$408,213
Median house price - mobile homes
$240,963
$81,780
Median house price - Townhouses or other attached units
$892,629
$442,670
Median house price - All housing units
Over $1,000,000
$529,360
Median house age
45
44
Renting percentage
41.5%
44.3%
Housing density (houses/condos per square mile)
1,947.6
1,206.8
House value disparities
21.2%
21%
Household income disparities
38.3%
40.5%
Median household income for houses/condes with a mortgage
$197,583
$104,161
Median household income for apartments without a mortgage
$103,711
$71,925
Housing units without a mortgage
2,632 (2.1%)
393 (1%)
Housing units with both a second mortgage and home equity loan
13,499 (10.6%)
1,312 (3.3%)
Housing units with a mortgage
124,224 (97.9%)
39,744 (99%)
Housing units with a home equity loan
346 (0.3%)
123 (0.3%)
Housing units with a second mortgage
16,249 (12.8%)
2,112 (5.3%)
House/condo owner moved in on average (years ago)
14
13
House/condo renter moved in on average (years ago)
3
3
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities
1.2%
2.5%
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities
0.6%
0.4%
Housing units in structures
Housing units in structures
San Jose
Riverside
One, detached
50.9%
63.1%
One, attached
11.5%
5.6%
Two
1.1%
1.1%
3 or 4
5.0%
3.7%
5 to 9
5.1%
6.8%
10 to 19
4.5%
7.0%
20 to 49
4.5%
4.6%
50 or more
14.2%
6.4%
Mobile homes
3.1%
1.8%
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.
0.1%
0.0%
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units
Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business
28,517
8,164
State government workers
10,222
8,293
Unpaid family workers
472
199
Industries and Occupations
San Jose's dominating industry is Information Technology and includes many high-tech engineering, computer, and microprocessor companies. Riverside, on the other hand, has more jobs in educational services, healthcare, and social assistance.
San Jose offers excellent healthcare services. Stanford Health Care, Kaiser Permanente are some of the leading options. Riverside also provides reliable health services with facilities like Riverside Community Hospital and Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center.
Health (county statistics)
Type
San Jose
Riverside
General health status score of residents in this county from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent)
Both cities are well-equipped in terms of infrastructure. San Jose's infrastructure benefits from its status as a tech hub while Riverside's infrastructure is influenced by its geographical location and expansion principles which focus on balanced growth.
Infrastructure
Type
San Jose
Riverside
Hospitals
20
20
TV stations
9
5
Bank branches located here
145
61
Bank institutions located here
25
18
Main business address for public companies
74
2
Drinking water stations with no reported violations in the past
21
2
Drinking water stations with reported violations in the past
HMDA - Conventional home purchase loans - Applications denied
Year
San Jose
Riverside
1999
3,839
794
2000
2,577
375
2001
1,953
310
2002
1,908
405
2003
3,578
1,399
2004
5,489
1,892
2005
6,994
2,728
2006
6,324
3,235
2007
4,298
1,568
2008
2,419
544
2009
1,631
285
Culture and Food
Both cities have a rich cultural scene. San Jose offers an array of fine dining and ethnic cuisines due to its cultural diversity. Riverside, with its agricultural roots, provides local, fresh produce and a strong farm-to-table culture.
Sports Teams
If you're a sports fan, San Jose has much to offer. Home to the NHL's San Jose Sharks and MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes. Riverside doesn't have any major sports team but it's closer to Los Angeles where you can easily catch a major league game.
San Jose, CA
Riverside, CA
