92078 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
92117
92078
Opportunity
63 · Top 33%
vs67 · Top 25%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
8 · Bottom 3%
vs8 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
36 · Bottom 4%
vs44 · Bottom 8%
Access
54 · Bottom 5%
vs66 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs68 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 92117 | 92078 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,275 | 53,605 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $103,661 | $120,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,288 | $54,529 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,007/sq mi | 3,210/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $981,200 | $942,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,254 | $2,567 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.5% | 72.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.5% | 49.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6,010 | 360 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.6% | -57.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 74°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 48°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.0" | 11.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 80 mi | 63 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 28.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.74 | 23.50 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 63.4% | 32.8% | 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
92117
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
92078
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 92117 — San Diego, CA · 92078 — San Marcos, CA · How this is calculated: methodology