92026 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
92071
92026
Opportunity
58 · Top 43%
vs60 · Top 38%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs32 · Bottom 20%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
8 · Bottom 3%
vs8 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
56 · Bottom 18%
vs52 · Bottom 14%
Access
59 · Bottom 6%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
71 · Top 29%
vs60 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | 92071 | 92026 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 59,590 | 53,075 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $113,618 | $104,561 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,782 | $48,088 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,161/sq mi | 1,472/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $728,900 | $714,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,254 | $2,151 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.4% | 63.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.2% | 33.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 54 | 309 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -66.0% | -37.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 74°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 48°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.5" | 11.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 72 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.3 | 39.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.76 | 19.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 45.1% | 71.6% | 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
92071
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
92026
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 92071 — Santee, CA · 92026 — Escondido, CA · How this is calculated: methodology