94518 and 94597 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
94518
94597
Opportunity
55 · Top 49%
vs56 · Top 47%
Growth
20 · Bottom 7%
vs19 · Bottom 6%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 10%
vs48 · Bottom 11%
Access
94 · Top 47%
vs96 · Top 36%
Economic stability
67 · Top 37%
vs77 · Top 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 94518 | 94597 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,345 | 23,129 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $112,094 | $132,063 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,520 | $72,923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,935/sq mi | 5,707/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $859,000 | $1,026,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,348 | $2,661 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.3% | 46.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.9% | 65.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 8.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 73 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.1% | -66.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.1" | 16.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.9 min | 35.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.2 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.15 | 22.78 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 79.3% | 16.3% | 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
94518
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
94597
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 94518 — Concord, CA · 94597 — Walnut Creek, CA · How this is calculated: methodology