Downey receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Downey
Glendale
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 21%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
39 · Bottom 4%
vs28 · Bottom 1%
Access
100 · Top 3%
vs97 · Top 23%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Downey | Glendale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 110,939 | 190,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,699 | $88,393 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,523 | $49,653 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,940/sq mi | 6,258/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $796,600 | $1,102,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,937 | $2,182 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 35.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 47.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 136 | 271 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.0% | 16.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.0" | 13.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 30.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 41.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 34 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.76 | 23.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.4% | 49.7% | 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
Downey
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Glendale
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Downey, CA · Glendale, CA · How this is calculated: methodology