Its population was 104,026 as of the2020 census, up from 99,171 at the2010 census.[5][8] Its population and economic activity have grown rapidly in recent years due to the building of major distribution centers in the region.
The 1907 First Christian Church, now the Rialto Historical SocietyPacific Electric depot, now a restaurant
Ancient artifacts discovered by archaeologists suggest that what is now the city of Rialto was settled prior to 1500.[9] Such artifacts, now found at the Rialto Historical Society, indicate that theSerrano Indians lived in the Rialto area between 1500 and 1800 AD.[10]
Anadobe building from the early 19th century, which has been used for many purposes over the years, is the oldest building still standing in Rialto and stands restored near Bud Bender Park, formerly known as "Lilac Park" on Second Street and Riverside Avenue.[11]
In 1842, the Lugo family was granted theRancho San Bernardino—a holding of 37,700 acres—which encompassed Rialto.[12] In 1851, the Mountain Family[13] purchased part of the Lugo family'sRancho San Bernardino,[12] and claimed several other portions of the ranch which later became known as Rialto. This claim was later amended by theUnited States Government, permitting them a smaller fraction of the initial purchase.[14]
In 1887 a railroad connector line was built betweenSan Bernardino andPasadena by theSanta Fe Railroad.[9] Along the line, townsites were located every 2,600 yards (2,400 m) [mile and a half] and by the fall of that year over 25 new towns were being built. This same year the Semitropic Land and Water Company was formed to organize the purchase and selling of real estate, water, and water rights and privileges.[9] AMethodist colony developed which was named after theRialto Bridge in Venice, Italy, considered a central meeting place for Venetians.[15]
In the fall of 1888, the first school was built and Brooke School District was formed.[16] Records show that up until 1920, the Brooke School District was in continuous operation, except for a very short time in 1888. The prominent Rialto Trapp family bought the first school house in 1921, remodeled the building, and members of the family resided in it until it was destroyed by fire. The Rialto School District (todayRialto Unified School District), was formed in 1891. The staff consisted of two teachers and a principal with separate play areas for the boys and girls.[17]
In 1901 a cemetery was established in the township. It is administered by the City Treasurer.[18]
The Chamber of Commerce was established in 1907.[9] The Chamber incorporated in the spring of 1911.[9] By 1911 the population had grown to 1,500 with 40 businesses and a local newspaper. The election results on October 31 of the same year were 135 votes for the incorporation of the city and 72 against.[9]
A fire in the 1920s swept through and destroyed many of the buildings in the downtown area.[9]
TheU.S. Army Rialto Ammunition Storage point which was used duringWorld War II to support operations in the Pacific theater.[19] The 160-acre site (65 ha) was operated between 1941-1945 and the land later sold to defense contractors and private corporations.[19] The site is aSuperfund Site that was scheduled to begin remediation in 2020.[20]
In the late 1990s, the city's drinking water was contaminated byperchlorate leaking from a 160-acre (65 ha) site owned by a defense contractors and fireworks manufacturer that handles perchlorate salts and hazardous materials.[21][20] The city launched lawsuits against 42 parties.[22] TheUnited States Environmental Protection Agency designed a groundwater pump and treatment system to remove and clean contaminated water, and negotiated settlements to several lawsuits.[20][23] Cleanup costs reached $100 million in 2014, and a pumping station was estimated to begin treating contaminated water between 2020 and 2021.[20][24]
Rialto city, California – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
The census reported that 99.5% of the population lived in households, 0.3% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.2% were institutionalized.[30]
There were 27,307 households, out of which 49.9% included children under the age of 18, 52.3% were married-couple households, 7.4% werecohabiting couple households, 25.8% had a female householder with no partner present, and 14.5% had a male householder with no partner present. 12.3% of households were one person, and 5.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.79.[30] There were 22,867families (83.7% of all households).[31]
The age distribution was 27.5% under the age of 18, 11.1% aged 18 to 24, 27.8% aged 25 to 44, 22.9% aged 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 32.2years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males.[30]
There were 27,954 housing units at an average density of 1,160.4 units per square mile (448.0 units/km2), of which 27,307 (97.7%) were occupied. Of these, 63.8% were owner-occupied, and 36.2% were occupied by renters.[30]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $85,521, and theper capita income was $26,943. About 11.0% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line.[32]
The2010 United States census[8] reported that Rialto had a population of 99,171. The population density was 4,434.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,712.0/km2). The racial makeup of Rialto was 43,592 (44.0%)White (12.6% Non-Hispanic White),[33] 16,236 (16.4%)African American, 1,062 (1.1%)Native American, 2,258 (2.3%)Asian, 361 (0.4%)Pacific Islander, 30,993 (31.3%) fromother races, and 4,669 (4.7%) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 67,038 persons (67.6%).
The Census reported that 98,724 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 254 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 193 (0.2%) were institutionalized.
There were 25,202 households, out of which 14,384 (57.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,811 (54.8%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 5,175 (20.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,191 (8.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,780 (7.1%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 150 (0.6%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,141 households (12.5%) were made up of individuals, and 1,283 (5.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.92. There were 21,177families (84.0% of all households); the average family size was 4.20.
The population was spread out, with 32,604 people (32.9%) under the age of 18, 12,204 people (12.3%) aged 18 to 24, 26,802 people (27.0%) aged 25 to 44, 20,655 people (20.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 6,906 people (7.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.
There were 27,203 housing units at an average density of 1,216.3 units per square mile (469.6 units/km2), of which 16,294 (64.7%) were owner-occupied, and 8,908 (35.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.1%; therental vacancy rate was 9.7%. 64,148 people (64.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 34,576 people (34.9%) lived in rental housing units.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Rialto had a median household income of $49,428, with 19.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[33]
Rialto's crime rate was slightly above the national average every year from 1999 to 2007. From 2008 to 2016, the crime rate in Rialto was below the national average.[34] In 2006, Rialto fielded 0.89 police officers per 1,000 residents, less than one-third the national average.[34] Rialto was the first city in the United States to require that all police officers wear body cameras.[35]
On September 13, 2005, the Rialto city council voted to dissolve the Rialto Police Department and replace it with a contract with the San Bernardino County sheriff's department. Soon after the vote, a San Bernardino County court issued aninjunction on the change because the vote was done in secret.[40] As a result, two city council members, Ed Scott and Winfred Lee Hansen, were up forrecall.[41] In March 2006, city leaders decided to keep the police department.[42]
Rialto Network is apublic, educational, and government access (PEG)cable television station based in Rialto. The station was created in 1991 as KRTO (KRialTO) and in 2012 the station was renamed Rialto Network. Rialto Network is located in the Civic Center and the station is cablecast daily onSpectrum Cable cable system on Channels 3, and onAT&T U-verse PEG cable TV channel 99. It is also webcast.[45]
The City of Rialto is situated betweenInterstate 10 andState Route 210. According to statistics approximately 55% of the working class in the city of Rialto commute more than 10 miles (16 km) to get to work and almost 13% travel to and fromLos Angeles andSan Bernardino. Average commute times from Rialto are between 33.6 and 37.6 minutes.[46]
Rialto is served by theMetrolink commuter rail system on theSan Bernardino Line atRialto station. The San Bernardino Line takes approximately one hour and twenty minutes to commute each way to Los Angeles[47] and ten minutes to San Bernardino.[48] The same trip by car via the 10 or 210 freeways takes between 45 minutes and 2 hours, depending on traffic.
^abJason Pesick (May 14, 2008)."The Wonders of Rialto".San Bernardino County Sun. Archived fromthe original on June 9, 2012. RetrievedNovember 10, 2011.
