Patterson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ceres
Patterson
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 8%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Growth
19 · Bottom 7%
vs79 · Top 6%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 17%
vs22 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 20%
vs72 · Bottom 37%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs87 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 35%
vs60 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Ceres | Patterson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,342 | 24,693 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,025 | $93,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,716 | $30,150 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,194/sq mi | 3,171/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $424,800 | $450,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,639 | $1,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 71.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.5% | 8.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.7% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.9% | 9.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 130 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 5.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | 195.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.3" | 12.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.4 min | 42.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.8 | 30.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 20 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.36 | 21.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 84.6% | 76.9% | 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
Ceres
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Patterson
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Ceres, CA · Patterson, CA · How this is calculated: methodology