Hermosa Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hermosa Beach
Lancaster
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
34 · Bottom 23%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs60 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
49 · Bottom 9%
vs57 · Bottom 16%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Hermosa Beach | Lancaster | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,063 | 169,169 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $166,442 | $81,511 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $111,872 | $31,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 13,368/sq mi | 1,794/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $446,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,887 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.6% | 60.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 7.2% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 76.0% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 313 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 44.4% | -68.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 75°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.2" | 6.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.6 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.16 | 23.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 8.4% | 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
Hermosa Beach
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Lancaster
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hermosa Beach
58
Your Score
50
Area Score
Lancaster
45
Your Score
38
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Hermosa Beach, CA · Lancaster, CA · How this is calculated: methodology