90620 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
90620
90503
Opportunity
57 · Top 45%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Growth
28 · Bottom 14%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs10 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 20%
vs47 · Bottom 11%
Access
100 · Top 4%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
74 · Top 22%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | 90620 | 90503 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,608 | 43,454 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $126,094 | $125,912 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,056 | $59,178 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,319/sq mi | 8,250/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $840,300 | $1,099,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,351 | $2,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.3% | 52.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.3% | 55.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 7.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 73 | 285 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.3% | -4.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.9" | 13.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.9 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 41.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.54 | 25.76 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.0% | 27.4% | 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
90620
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
90503
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 90620 — Buena Park, CA · 90503 — Torrance, CA · How this is calculated: methodology