These Are The 10 Worst Pomona Suburbs For 2018

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Not everyone is cut out for city life. Some people would prefer to live in the cities and towns that surround Pomona.

So the question arises, do the suburbs maintain a semblance of the larger-than-life appeal of their more famous neighbor?

Today, we’ll use science and data to determine which Pomona ‘burbs need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Pomona area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the suburbs to live up to Pomona proper, although Sierra Madre certainly tries.

Of course, not all suburbs of Pomona are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. So without further ado…

We examined the 91 biggest suburbs of Pomona to find out the worst places to live. And while you won’t necessarily find them on the worst places to live in California lists, these ten places are a little too far downwind of Pomona in terms of quality of life.

Here are the 10 worst suburbs around Pomona for 2018:

Read on to see how we determined the places around Pomona that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.

Or, if you’re thinking of moving to elsewhere in California check out the best places in California overall or the worst.

And remember, there are some good places to live around Pomona too.

Editor’s Note: If you see a slight difference between the worst in state rankings and this suburb ranking, it’s because of the methodology. We needed a way to include more places, so we eliminated crime and commute times as criteria for this analysis.

For more California reading, check out:

Determining The Worst Suburbs Around Pomona for 2018

To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what cities have the least amount of those things.

We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using the most recent American Community Survey data, this is the criteria we used:

High unemployment rate
Low median household incomes
Low population density (no things to do)
Low home values
A lot of high school drop outs
High poverty
High rate of uninsured families

FYI: We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Pomona.

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Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 5,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 91 suburbs to evaluate around Pomona.

We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 91 in each category, where 1 was the ‘worst’.

Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality of life index.

And finally, we crowned the city with the worst quality of life index the ‘Worst Suburb near Pomona.’ We’re lookin’ at you, San Bernardino.

Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the worst of the worst. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from worst to best.

1. San Bernardino

Source: Flickr User MOHSEN.WISE | CC BY 2.0

Population: 214,581
Unemployment Rate: 14.1%
Median Home Price: $176,800
Median Income: $38,456
More on San Bernardino: Data | Jobs

We’ll get the ball rolling with San Bernardino, the absolute worst place to live around Pomona according to the data.

And in the world of worst rankings, San Bernardino beat the competition pretty handily thanks to scoring in the bottom 15% in three major categories. Income is the 5th worst in the Pomona area, and to make matters worse, the city ranks 1st worst when it comes to home values.

But hey, at least it’s cheap to live there. But there’s a reason for that… it’s San Bernardino.

You won’t feel bad about not having a great income for the area, there aren’t a bunch of places to spend your money anyway.

2. Commerce

Source: Wikipedia User Justefrain | CC BY-SA 3.0

Population: 12,997
Unemployment Rate: 11.4%
Median Home Price: $343,200
Median Income: $42,235
More on Commerce: Data | Jobs

Welcome to Commerce. Home to KMart, Big Lots, and a lot of gas stations.

This city is 22.7 miles to Pomona. Income levels here are the 9th lowest in the metro area, where families bring in about $42,235 a year, which doesn’t go a long ways even on a shoestring budget.

But on the bright side, there are a lot of fast food joints in the area.

3. Cudahy

Source: Flickr User [email protected] | CC BY 2.0

Population: 24,106
Unemployment Rate: 11.9%
Median Home Price: $285,900
Median Income: $39,058
More on Cudahy: Data | Jobs

Back up the highway we go for the third worst Pomona suburb you can live in. You might have expected to see Cudahy on here. While the cost of living is low, your entertainment and work options are limited. And that’s an understatement.

In terms of numbers, it’s in the worst 15% for insurance, and the adult high school drop out rate is poor compared to other Pomona suburbs.

But at least there are nice parks to bring the kids during the day.

4. Jurupa Valley

Population: 100,737
Unemployment Rate: 12.7%
Median Home Price: $270,700
Median Income: $58,849
More on Jurupa Valley: Data | Jobs

If you live in Jurupa Valley, most likely you struggle to make ends meet every month. It ranks as the 37th lowest Pomona suburb when it comes to residents making money.

Not only that, but this is the 4th worst unemployed suburb you can live in if you choose to live near Pomona. Remember, we looked at 91 cities for this study.

Jurupa Valley is about 17.2 miles to downtown.

5. Rialto

Source: Public domain

Population: 102,418
Unemployment Rate: 13.8%
Median Home Price: $236,100
Median Income: $52,347
More on Rialto: Data | Jobs

Rialto has the distinction of being a Pomona suburb. Which means that’s about all it has going for it.

All snarkiness aside, Rialto has the 3rd lowest home values in the metro Pomona area, where the median price is $236,100. To put that into perspective, in Sierra Madre, the median income is $139,792, which is the best in the area.

Rialto has an unemployment rate of 13.8% which ranks 3rd worst.

6. Colton

Source: Wikipedia User Bruce Fingerhoo | CC BY 2.0

Population: 53,856
Unemployment Rate: 9.8%
Median Home Price: $189,500
Median Income: $43,966
More on Colton: Data | Jobs

Colton has 53,856 residents that probably know it’s a pretty crummy place to live when you look at the data. (Or, if you’ve ever been there, you don’t need to look at the data.)

Incomes are towards the bottom and the poverty rate sits at 20.5%.

7. Compton

Source: Wikipedia User Epolk at Englis | GFDL

Population: 97,740
Unemployment Rate: 13.9%
Median Home Price: $264,300
Median Income: $45,406
More on Compton: Data | Jobs

Ah, Compton. You rank as the 7th worst place to live around Pomona.

It’s the place with the 2nd most out of work residents in the Pomona metro area (13.9%).

8. Huntington Park

Source: Wikipedia User Jmiles92 | GFDL

Population: 58,921
Unemployment Rate: 11.1%
Median Home Price: $322,300
Median Income: $35,629
More on Huntington Park: Data | Jobs

Huntington Park is a city about 26.7 miles from Pomona, but Pomona probably wishes it was further away. It ranks as the 8th worst burb for 2018.

You’d be hard pressed to find a worse place to live. Huntington Park has the 4th most uninsured people, 1st worst incomes, and has the 9th highest unemployment rate (11.1%) in the entire Pomona metro area.

Homes only cost $322,300 for a reason. That’s cheap for Pomona standards.

9. Bell Gardens

Source: Public domain

Population: 42,805
Unemployment Rate: 10.6%
Median Home Price: $318,700
Median Income: $37,183
More on Bell Gardens: Data | Jobs

If you absolutely have to live near Pomona, then Bell Gardens might be a place for you to consider as it’s only the 9th worst Pomona suburb.

About 10.6% of residents are out of work.

10. Bell

Source: Public domain

Population: 35,927
Unemployment Rate: 11.4%
Median Home Price: $322,900
Median Income: $38,823
More on Bell: Data | Jobs

Rounding out the ten worst Pomona suburbs to call home is Bell.

Located 24.5 miles outside the city, Bells is a real pit when you look at the data. Its residents have the 7th highest unemployment rate (11.4%), and poverty is far above the area average.

The areas around Pomona where the dream is more of a nightmare for 2018

Well there you have it — the worst of the ‘burbs surrounding Pomona with San Bernardino casting itself ahead of the pack.

As we mentioned earlier, the suburbs around Pomona aren’t all bad. Sierra Madre takes the cake as the best place to live around Pomona.

For more California reading, check out:

Detailed List Of The Worst Pomona Suburbs

Rank	City	Population	Unemployment Rate	Median Home Price	Median Income
1	San Bernardino	214,581	14.1%	$176,800	$38,456
2	Commerce	12,997	11.4%	$343,200	$42,235
3	Cudahy	24,106	11.9%	$285,900	$39,058
4	Jurupa Valley	100,737	12.7%	$270,700	$58,849
5	Rialto	102,418	13.8%	$236,100	$52,347
6	Colton	53,856	9.8%	$189,500	$43,966
7	Compton	97,740	13.9%	$264,300	$45,406
8	Huntington Park	58,921	11.1%	$322,300	$35,629
9	Bell Gardens	42,805	10.6%	$318,700	$37,183
10	Bell	35,927	11.4%	$322,900	$38,823
11	Hawaiian Gardens	14,468	10.5%	$288,200	$36,026
12	Maywood	27,672	9.5%	$325,600	$36,696
13	Lynwood	71,233	10.2%	$312,100	$43,848
14	South Gate	95,219	11.7%	$329,000	$45,522
15	Ontario	169,389	9.3%	$293,000	$54,896
16	Paramount	54,941	9.1%	$283,400	$46,364
17	Montclair	38,294	9.3%	$281,100	$50,374
18	El Monte	115,665	9.2%	$374,900	$40,654
19	South El Monte	20,566	7.0%	$363,100	$42,460
20	Riverside	318,678	11.0%	$286,600	$58,979
21	Fontana	205,228	10.2%	$289,400	$65,995
22	Stanton	38,594	8.0%	$322,200	$48,332
23	Baldwin Park	76,511	8.8%	$333,500	$53,651
24	Santa Ana	333,605	7.1%	$383,900	$54,062
25	La Puente	40,384	8.1%	$343,000	$57,174
26	Duarte	21,792	10.4%	$385,600	$65,571
27	Montebello	63,416	8.1%	$413,900	$47,518
28	Azusa	48,498	8.1%	$342,000	$56,569
29	Rosemead	54,507	8.2%	$455,100	$45,510
30	Pico Rivera	63,724	8.6%	$351,300	$57,203
31	Loma Linda	23,859	6.8%	$291,600	$51,390
32	Chino	83,670	9.0%	$365,500	$72,832
33	Bellflower	77,687	8.3%	$367,300	$50,704
34	Long Beach	469,793	9.4%	$448,800	$55,151
35	Anaheim	346,776	8.1%	$457,600	$61,826
36	Norwalk	106,360	8.0%	$350,600	$61,050
37	Grand Terrace	12,393	9.6%	$249,700	$64,188
38	La Habra	61,660	10.0%	$436,200	$65,799
39	Santa Fe Springs	17,436	4.9%	$371,400	$58,147
40	Garden Grove	174,676	7.6%	$445,700	$60,522
41	Signal Hill	11,404	7.0%	$446,000	$70,286
42	Westminster	91,635	7.4%	$499,400	$55,287
43	Monterey Park	61,001	7.5%	$532,700	$54,008
44	Corona	161,614	7.8%	$378,500	$72,309
45	West Covina	107,634	9.9%	$430,800	$71,217
46	Covina	48,539	9.7%	$415,300	$65,451
47	Glendale	197,895	9.2%	$639,700	$56,069
48	Fullerton	139,491	8.6%	$551,300	$67,110
49	Monrovia	37,090	9.6%	$583,300	$67,167
50	Downey	113,223	6.8%	$449,900	$65,332
51	San Gabriel	40,200	6.9%	$605,600	$54,015
52	Norco	26,809	8.5%	$445,700	$87,067
53	Glendora	51,285	10.1%	$481,800	$78,448
54	Artesia	16,789	5.2%	$419,500	$58,651
55	Upland	75,851	5.9%	$444,200	$62,369
56	Alhambra	84,866	6.0%	$518,800	$53,138
57	Orange	139,919	7.3%	$565,800	$79,192
58	Rancho Cucamonga	173,309	8.9%	$414,200	$79,973
59	Whittier	86,630	6.7%	$458,500	$67,431
60	Buena Park	82,771	5.7%	$448,900	$70,341
61	Tustin	79,396	6.8%	$543,200	$70,822
62	Seal Beach	24,510	6.3%	$308,400	$60,222
63	Pasadena	140,268	7.1%	$649,800	$73,029
64	Costa Mesa	112,439	6.5%	$637,200	$70,438
65	Los Alamitos	11,661	7.8%	$680,100	$80,926
66	Eastvale	58,217	9.6%	$460,100	$104,940
67	San Dimas	34,109	7.0%	$481,000	$79,081
68	La Verne	32,078	7.0%	$500,300	$78,385
69	Placentia	52,168	6.8%	$554,500	$80,668
70	La Mirada	49,130	6.9%	$448,400	$81,956
71	Chino Hills	77,266	7.0%	$537,800	$97,222
72	Claremont	35,827	6.8%	$581,100	$94,005
73	Diamond Bar	56,456	7.3%	$593,100	$89,845
74	Lakewood	81,054	6.3%	$445,800	$82,175
75	Brea	41,351	6.4%	$579,600	$85,555
76	La Palma	15,834	6.4%	$602,000	$83,760
77	Fountain Valley	56,670	6.6%	$626,600	$84,763
78	Lake Forest	80,658	5.2%	$550,600	$92,415
79	Arcadia	57,755	6.5%	$920,700	$83,958
80	Walnut	30,026	6.6%	$679,700	$97,345
81	Villa Park	5,922	8.7%	$1,030,800	$131,386
82	Irvine	246,992	6.2%	$718,800	$93,823
83	El Cerrito	24,646	6.6%	$636,600	$92,670
84	Cypress	48,978	5.2%	$540,900	$84,469
85	Huntington Beach	198,724	6.0%	$659,700	$85,312
86	Cerritos	49,797	6.6%	$620,500	$95,373
87	South Pasadena	25,936	6.2%	$876,900	$84,593
88	La Habra Heights	5,406	4.9%	$893,200	$110,329
89	Yorba Linda	67,362	6.5%	$728,300	$119,697
90	San Marino	13,324	4.3%	$1,518,400	$139,792
91	Sierra Madre	11,067	5.3%	$861,200	$95,256

These Are The 10 Worst Pomona Suburbs For 2018

We used science and data to determine which Pomona suburbs are the real pits.

Determining The Worst Suburbs Around Pomona for 2018

1. San Bernardino

2. Commerce

3. Cudahy

4. Jurupa Valley

5. Rialto

6. Colton

7. Compton

8. Huntington Park

9. Bell Gardens

10. Bell

The areas around Pomona where the dream is more of a nightmare for 2018

Detailed List Of The Worst Pomona Suburbs

About Chris Kolmar