90404 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
90404
91754
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 29%
vs44 · Bottom 28%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
10 · Bottom 4%
vs10 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
32 · Bottom 2%
vs34 · Bottom 3%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs96 · Top 36%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 37%
vs49 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | 90404 | 91754 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,978 | 32,248 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,139 | $86,331 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $64,223 | $43,230 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 11,658/sq mi | 7,135/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,244,400 | $876,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,239 | $1,962 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 21.4% | 54.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.1% | 39.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.9% | 12.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 457 | 66 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.0 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 35.6% | 24.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 75°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 14.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 45.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.68 | 22.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 41.0% | 44.7% | 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
90404
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
91754
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 90404 — Santa Monica, CA · 91754 — Monterey Park, CA · How this is calculated: methodology