92010 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
92010
92081
Opportunity
66 · Top 28%
vs60 · Top 38%
Growth
39 · Bottom 32%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
8 · Bottom 3%
vs8 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
36 · Bottom 4%
vs38 · Bottom 5%
Access
65 · Bottom 9%
vs66 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs71 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 92010 | 92081 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,489 | 29,002 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $129,926 | $105,379 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,121 | $50,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,242/sq mi | 3,248/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,103,300 | $838,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,988 | $2,454 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 54.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.3% | 42.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 8.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 340 | 113 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -39.6% | -35.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 74°F | 74°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 48°F | 48°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.4" | 11.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 62 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.9 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.05 | 19.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 28.9% | 69.9% | 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
92010
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
92081
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 92010 — Carlsbad, CA · 92081 — Vista, CA · How this is calculated: methodology