94542 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
94945
94542
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 45%
vs56 · Top 47%
Growth
15 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 2%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
37 · Bottom 5%
vs44 · Bottom 8%
Access
85 · Bottom 28%
vs98 · Top 17%
Economic stability
65 · Top 41%
vs69 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | 94945 | 94542 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,635 | 14,871 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,790 | $133,734 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $67,050 | $63,119 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 765/sq mi | 1,719/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,124,100 | $1,148,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,326 | $2,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.4% | 72.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.1% | 48.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 7.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 48 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.7% | -61.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 75°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.2" | 16.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 39.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 49.6 | 43.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.16 | 27.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.6% | 45.8% | 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
94945
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, inland flooding.
94542
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 94945 — Novato, CA · 94542 — Hayward, CA · How this is calculated: methodology