90405 and 90638 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
90405
90638
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 36%
vs42 · Bottom 24%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
10 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
41 · Bottom 6%
vs49 · Bottom 12%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 4%
Economic stability
70 · Top 31%
vs71 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | 90405 | 90638 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,298 | 45,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $121,241 | $109,649 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $100,986 | $44,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,816/sq mi | 5,927/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,929,900 | $827,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,417 | $2,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 31.4% | 76.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.0% | 40.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 6.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 457 | 147 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.0 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 35.6% | 2000.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 75°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 11.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 35.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.1 | 44.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.60 | 23.06 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.0% | 57.1% | 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
90405
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
90638
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 90405 — Santa Monica, CA · 90638 — La Mirada, CA · How this is calculated: methodology