Benicia receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Benicia
Suisun City
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 17%
vs50 · Bottom 10%
Access
90 · Bottom 43%
vs81 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs71 · Top 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Benicia | Suisun City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,749 | 29,286 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $121,204 | $94,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $63,686 | $37,624 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,088/sq mi | 7,312/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $810,000 | $579,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,280 | $2,157 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.5% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.6% | 21.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 140.0% | 75.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.1" | 24.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 38 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 34.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.9 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.73 | 24.62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 23.5% | 75.0% | 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
Benicia
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Suisun City
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Benicia
61
Your Score
57
Area Score
Suisun City
57
Your Score
50
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Benicia, CA · Suisun City, CA · How this is calculated: methodology