90623 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
90623
90254
Opportunity
61 · Top 37%
vs49 · Bottom 37%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs32 · Bottom 21%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs10 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 10%
vs49 · Bottom 11%
Access
100 · Top 4%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
74 · Top 22%
vs71 · Top 28%
Measured values
| Metric | 90623 | 90254 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,545 | 19,063 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $116,594 | $166,442 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,816 | $111,872 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,569/sq mi | 13,340/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $979,600 | $2,000,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,259 | $2,887 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.4% | 50.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.9% | 76.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.9% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | 44.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 75°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.9" | 12.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.1 min | 31.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.8 | 42.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.28 | 23.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.5% | 8.4% | 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
90623
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
90254
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 90623 — La Palma, CA · 90254 — Hermosa Beach, CA · How this is calculated: methodology