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
Vacaville
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 17%
vs59 · Bottom 18%
Access
90 · Bottom 43%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Benicia | Vacaville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,749 | 102,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $121,204 | $111,126 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $63,686 | $46,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,088/sq mi | 3,435/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $810,000 | $620,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,280 | $2,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.5% | 67.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.6% | 28.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 140.0% | -31.0% | 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 | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.9 | 38.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.73 | 22.05 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 23.5% | 51.7% | 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.
Vacaville
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Benicia, CA · Vacaville, CA · How this is calculated: methodology