94121 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
94501
94121
Opportunity
59 · Top 41%
vs67 · Top 26%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Climate
85 · Top 10%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs45 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
44 · Bottom 8%
vs48 · Bottom 11%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 23%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 94501 | 94121 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 63,808 | 41,995 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $127,906 | $133,358 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $74,108 | $88,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,052/sq mi | 16,566/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,250,300 | $1,611,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,437 | $2,363 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.0% | 43.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.0% | 64.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 43 | 1,622 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.3% | 27.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 66°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.7" | 22.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.4 min | 34.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.4 | 44.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.22 | 22.34 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.1% | 44.5% | 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
94501
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
94121
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 94501 — Alameda, CA · 94121 — San Francisco, CA · How this is calculated: methodology