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
Lancaster
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 21%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs60 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
39 · Bottom 4%
vs57 · Bottom 16%
Access
100 · Top 3%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Downey | Lancaster | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 110,939 | 169,169 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,699 | $81,511 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,523 | $31,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,940/sq mi | 1,794/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $796,600 | $446,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,937 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 60.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 7.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 136 | 313 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.0% | -68.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.0" | 6.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.76 | 23.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.4% | 75.6% | 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.
Lancaster
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Downey, CA · Lancaster, CA · How this is calculated: methodology