94401 and 94501 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
94401
94501
Opportunity
66 · Top 27%
vs59 · Top 41%
Growth
29 · Bottom 15%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs85 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
34 · Bottom 3%
vs44 · Bottom 8%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
63 · Top 45%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | 94401 | 94501 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,295 | 63,808 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $122,227 | $127,906 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $63,426 | $74,108 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 11,345/sq mi | 8,052/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,184,500 | $1,250,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,762 | $2,437 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.4% | 44.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.3% | 59.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 98 | 43 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -34.7% | -2.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.6" | 18.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 34.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 40.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.96 | 23.22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.5% | 38.1% | 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
94401
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
94501
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 94401 — San Mateo, CA · 94501 — Alameda, CA · How this is calculated: methodology