Signals
Castaic
Irvine
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 24%
vs62 · Top 38%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs12 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 36%
vs38 · Bottom 3%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
79 · Top 9%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Castaic | Irvine | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,999 | 311,690 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $129,863 | $136,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,149 | $64,055 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,479/sq mi | 4,750/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $792,000 | $1,191,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,770 | $2,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.1% | 44.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.2% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.6% | 70.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.1" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.5 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 34.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.63 | 26.66 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.5% | 37.1% | 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
Castaic
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Irvine
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Castaic, CA · Irvine, CA · How this is calculated: methodology