Buena Park and Huntington Beach 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
Measured values
| Metric | Buena Park | Huntington Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 82,871 | 195,240 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $110,550 | $120,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,669 | $64,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,872/sq mi | 7,236/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $838,800 | $1,100,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,206 | $2,510 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.0% | 55.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.0% | 49.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 7.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 73 | 322 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.3% | -13.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.9" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 44.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.41 | 23.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.6% | 41.4% | 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
Buena Park
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Huntington Beach
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Buena Park, CA · Huntington Beach, CA · How this is calculated: methodology