94901 and 94608 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
94901
94608
Opportunity
59 · Top 40%
vs53 · Bottom 47%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 7%
vs46 · Bottom 10%
Access
91 · Bottom 44%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 49%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | 94901 | 94608 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,307 | 34,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $115,330 | $120,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $71,449 | $76,394 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,153/sq mi | 12,498/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,512,600 | $849,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,256 | $2,661 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.0% | 31.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.0% | 64.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 17.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 134 | 991 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 436.0% | 240.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 66°F | 66°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.9" | 22.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 31.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.6 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.18 | 17.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.3% | 83.5% | 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
94901
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, inland flooding.
94608
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 94901 — San Rafael, CA · 94608 — Oakland, CA · How this is calculated: methodology