94903 and 94901 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
94903
94901
Opportunity
61 · Top 36%
vs59 · Top 40%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 7%
vs42 · Bottom 7%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs91 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
63 · Top 43%
vs59 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | 94903 | 94901 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,615 | 41,307 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $142,083 | $115,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $77,317 | $71,449 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,540/sq mi | 3,153/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,197,300 | $1,512,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,993 | $2,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.8% | 51.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.5% | 49.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 14.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 134 | 134 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 436.0% | 436.0% | 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 | 28 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 49.5 | 41.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.43 | 20.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.1% | 70.3% | 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
94903
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, inland flooding.
94901
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 94903 — San Rafael, CA · 94901 — San Rafael, CA · How this is calculated: methodology