The Town FilesSan Bernardino, California
City in San Bernardino County · population 222,101 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $422,300
- Household income
- $67,415
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 32.2
San Bernardino is a city of 222,101 people in San Bernardino County, California. The median home is worth $422,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 89% of California towns, more walkable than 85% of California towns, more vibrant than 84% of California towns.
How San Bernardino ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in San Bernardino is worth $422,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $67,415, which is more affordable than 52% of California towns. Median rent is $1,508 a month. 50.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | San Bernardino | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $422,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,508 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $67,415 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 50.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in San Bernardino
| People | San Bernardino | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.3% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in San Bernardino
July highs average 95.4°F and January lows 41.1°F. About 12.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 104 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Bernardino since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on March 4, 2005 about 8.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 4, 2005.
Severe weather in San Bernardino County since 1996
San Bernardino County has been included in 61 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5537: Bridge Fire |
| September 7, 2024 | Fire | FM-5535: Line Fire |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County had 845,908 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,368 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in San Bernardino itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in San Bernardino
83 public schools with 48,031 students, about 20.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arroyo Valley High | 9-12 | 2,730 | 24.4 |
| Cajon High | 9-12 | 2,662 | 24.0 |
| Indian Springs High | 9-12 | 1,829 | 22.3 |
| San Bernardino County Special Education | K-12 | 1,706 | 11.2 |
| San Bernardino High | 9-12 | 1,475 | 21.1 |
| San Gorgonio High | 9-12 | 1,447 | 19.8 |
| Pacific High | 9-12 | 1,222 | 20.4 |
| Norton Science and Language Academy (charter) | K-11 | 1,200 | 22.2 |
| Options for Youth-San Bernardino (charter) | 7-12 | 1,118 | 33.9 |
| Cesar E. Chavez Middle | 6-8 | 1,085 | 23.6 |
| Paakuma K-8 | K-8 | 984 | 22.4 |
| Arrowview Middle | 6-8 | 922 | 21.0 |
Towns near San Bernardino
- Muscoy, CA3.2 mi · 10,719 people · home $422,600
- Rialto, CA5.7 mi · 104,026 people · home $487,900
- Colton, CA6.2 mi · 53,909 people · home $443,800
- Loma Linda, CA7.3 mi · 24,791 people · home $596,900
- Highland, CA7.6 mi · 56,999 people · home $485,600
- Grand Terrace, CA7.7 mi · 13,150 people · home $517,600
- Crestline, CA7.8 mi · 11,650 people · home $394,400
- Bloomington, CA8.3 mi · 24,339 people · home $469,200
San Bernardino questions
Is San Bernardino, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, San Bernardino scores better for retirees than 4% of California towns and quieter than 6%. 10.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.2).
How much does a house cost in San Bernardino?
The median owner-occupied home in San Bernardino is valued at $422,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,415, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $1,508 a month.
What is the weather like in San Bernardino?
July highs average 95.4°F and January lows 41.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does San Bernardino get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Bernardino since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on March 4, 2005. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)