90621 and 90505 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
90621
90505
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 49%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
28 · Bottom 14%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs10 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
38 · Bottom 5%
vs39 · Bottom 5%
Access
100 · Top 4%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
74 · Top 23%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | 90621 | 90505 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,984 | 35,148 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,612 | $115,593 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,724 | $60,677 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,584/sq mi | 6,006/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $832,000 | $1,204,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,167 | $2,387 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 34.8% | 55.8% | 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 | 32.7% | 59.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 6.7% | 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 | 10 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.9 min | 31.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 44.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.19 | 25.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 83.2% | 22.9% | 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
90621
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
90505
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 90621 — Buena Park, CA · 90505 — Torrance, CA · How this is calculated: methodology