Downey receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gardena
Downey
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 20%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
13 · Bottom 3%
vs26 · Bottom 13%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 5%
vs39 · Bottom 4%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 3%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Gardena | Downey | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 59,422 | 110,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,803 | $90,699 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,529 | $38,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 10,194/sq mi | 8,940/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $700,600 | $796,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,809 | $1,937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.8% | 51.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.9% | 26.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 9.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 21 | 136 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.8" | 12.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.6 min | 33.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 37.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.43 | 23.76 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.7% | 78.4% | 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
Gardena
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Downey
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Gardena, CA · Downey, CA · How this is calculated: methodology