Benicia receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Dixon
Benicia
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 29%
vs61 · Top 40%
Growth
46 · Bottom 42%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 19%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 26%
vs58 · Bottom 17%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs90 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
68 · Top 35%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Dixon | Benicia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,683 | 26,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $102,878 | $121,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,392 | $63,686 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,772/sq mi | 2,088/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $604,800 | $810,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,859 | $2,280 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.3% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 47.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 7.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 72 | 12 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -74.8% | 140.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.8" | 16.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 30.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 44.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.49 | 22.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.8% | 23.5% | 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
Dixon
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Benicia
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Dixon, CA · Benicia, CA · How this is calculated: methodology