Laguna Woods receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Laguna Woods
Lancaster
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
12 · Bottom 3%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs60 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
13 · Bottom 1%
vs57 · Bottom 16%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 4%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Laguna Woods | Lancaster | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,289 | 169,169 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,269 | $81,511 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,507 | $31,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,173/sq mi | 1,794/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $394,600 | $446,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,328 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.6% | 60.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 7.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.9% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 313 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.2" | 6.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 74.9 | 34.5 | 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
Laguna Woods
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Lancaster
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Laguna Woods
43
Your Score
40
Area Score
Lancaster
45
Your Score
38
Area Score
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Full profiles: Laguna Woods, CA · Lancaster, CA · How this is calculated: methodology