Signals
Grover Beach
Ashland
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 25%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 24%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
34 · Bottom 2%
vs26 · Bottom 1%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 29%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Grover Beach | Ashland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,604 | 22,210 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,458 | $81,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,487 | $36,371 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,452/sq mi | 12,051/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $727,500 | $775,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,061 | $2,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.5% | 35.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.7% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 16.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 78°F | 75°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 17.9" | 16.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 35.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Grover Beach
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Ashland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Grover Beach
54
Your Score
49
Area Score
Ashland
59
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Grover Beach, CA · Ashland, CA · How this is calculated: methodology