95540 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
96080
95540
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 10%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Growth
43 · Bottom 39%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Climate
66 · Bottom 38%
vs70 · Top 50%
Physical resilience
7 · Bottom 2%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 33%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Access
6 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 20%
vs41 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | 96080 | 95540 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,554 | 14,469 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,076 | $63,695 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,832 | $35,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 49/sq mi | 425/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $343,700 | $389,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,188 | $1,178 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.7% | 56.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 26.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 36 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 250.0% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 98°F | 63°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 23.1" | 40.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 111 mi | 141 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 22.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.7 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.84 | 19.72 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.3% | 71.1% | 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
96080
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
95540
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 96080 — Red Bluff, CA · 95540 — Fortuna, CA · How this is calculated: methodology