92646 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
92870
92646
Opportunity
57 · Top 46%
vs61 · Top 37%
Growth
28 · Bottom 14%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 9%
vs46 · Bottom 10%
Access
95 · Top 39%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
72 · Top 28%
vs66 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | 92870 | 92646 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,826 | 54,615 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $115,929 | $130,672 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,006 | $64,706 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,850/sq mi | 6,784/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $921,000 | $1,076,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,388 | $2,571 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.6% | 74.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.2% | 51.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 7.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 53 | 322 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -59.2% | -13.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.9" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 47.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.87 | 23.06 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.3% | 26.3% | 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
92870
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
92646
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 92870 — Placentia, CA · 92646 — Huntington Beach, CA · How this is calculated: methodology