Signals
Castaic
Palmdale
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 24%
vs30 · Bottom 6%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs61 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 36%
vs54 · Bottom 13%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
79 · Top 9%
vs51 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Castaic | Palmdale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,999 | 164,634 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $129,863 | $81,770 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,149 | $29,441 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,479/sq mi | 1,552/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $792,000 | $471,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,770 | $1,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.1% | 66.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 6.3% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.6% | 17.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.1" | 5.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.5 min | 41.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 33.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.63 | 24.09 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.5% | 73.4% | 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
Castaic
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Palmdale
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Castaic, CA · Palmdale, CA · How this is calculated: methodology