Murrieta receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Canyon Lake
Murrieta
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 39%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
28 · Bottom 15%
vs52 · Top 46%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
4 · Bottom 1%
vs4 · Bottom 1%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 20%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 32%
vs71 · Top 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Canyon Lake | Murrieta | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,119 | 112,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $126,926 | $114,081 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,589 | $45,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,860/sq mi | 3,166/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $699,600 | $639,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,608 | $2,388 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.8% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.7% | 32.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 672 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 6.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -57.1% | -37.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.3" | 15.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 36 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 49.6 min | 39.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.0 | 36.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Canyon Lake
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Murrieta
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Canyon Lake
54
Your Score
49
Area Score
Murrieta
60
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Canyon Lake, CA · Murrieta, CA · How this is calculated: methodology