La Quinta and Moreno Valley receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | La Quinta | Moreno Valley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,707 | 211,666 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $99,250 | $93,222 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $64,505 | $29,872 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,097/sq mi | 4,125/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $661,600 | $503,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,785 | $2,135 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 63.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 5.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.0% | 17.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 107 | 287 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 62.1% | -18.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 107°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 3.0" | 9.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 37.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 53.3 | 32.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.62 | 22.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 79.0% | 87.0% | 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
La Quinta
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Moreno Valley
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
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Full profiles: La Quinta, CA · Moreno Valley, CA · How this is calculated: methodology