90249 and 90242 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
90249
90242
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 23%
vs41 · Bottom 23%
Growth
11 · Bottom 2%
vs23 · Bottom 10%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
10 · Bottom 4%
vs10 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
44 · Bottom 8%
vs40 · Bottom 5%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 4%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs66 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 90249 | 90242 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,290 | 40,767 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,712 | $89,075 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,290 | $34,568 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,846/sq mi | 9,027/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $768,000 | $761,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,775 | $1,918 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.6% | 53.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 9.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 21 | 136 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.8" | 12.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 32.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 37.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.66 | 23.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.4% | 79.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
90249
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
90242
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 90249 — Gardena, CA · 90242 — Downey, CA · How this is calculated: methodology