94521 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
94521
94597
Opportunity
56 · Top 46%
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
56 · Bottom 18%
vs48 · Bottom 11%
Access
92 · Bottom 48%
vs96 · Top 36%
Economic stability
79 · Top 13%
vs77 · Top 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 94521 | 94597 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,909 | 23,129 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $125,899 | $132,063 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,781 | $72,923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,328/sq mi | 5,707/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $853,200 | $1,026,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,404 | $2,661 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 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 | 44.6% | 65.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 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 | 21 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.1 min | 35.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.9 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.49 | 22.78 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 46.8% | 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
94521
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
94597
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 94521 — Concord, CA · 94597 — Walnut Creek, CA · How this is calculated: methodology