94597 and 94596 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
94597
94596
Opportunity
56 · Top 47%
vs57 · Top 46%
Growth
19 · Bottom 6%
vs19 · Bottom 6%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
48 · Bottom 11%
vs44 · Bottom 8%
Access
96 · Top 36%
vs96 · Top 35%
Economic stability
77 · Top 16%
vs81 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | 94597 | 94596 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,129 | 23,417 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $132,063 | $135,635 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $72,923 | $88,540 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,707/sq mi | 3,863/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,026,800 | $1,277,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,661 | $2,574 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.4% | 43.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.1% | 71.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 6.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -66.7% | -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 | 16 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.4 min | 34.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.78 | 20.81 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 16.3% | 16.6% | 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
94597
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
94596
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 94597 — Walnut Creek, CA · 94596 — Walnut Creek, CA · How this is calculated: methodology