Alameda and San Ramon 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
Alameda
San Ramon
Opportunity
58 · Top 46%
vs55 · Bottom 49%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Climate
85 · Top 9%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 29%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
47 · Bottom 8%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs96 · Top 34%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Alameda | San Ramon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 77,238 | 85,993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $137,697 | $196,161 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $75,137 | $84,288 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,427/sq mi | 4,287/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,235,700 | $1,509,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,474 | $2,968 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.7% | 70.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.5% | 71.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.2% | 4.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 43 | 156 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.3% | 64.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.7" | 15.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.0 min | 37.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 41.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.35 | 22.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.3% | 9.6% | 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
Alameda
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
San Ramon
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Alameda, CA · San Ramon, CA · How this is calculated: methodology