Larkspur and San Ramon 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
Larkspur
San Ramon
Opportunity
57 · Top 49%
vs55 · Bottom 49%
Growth
51 · Top 49%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs23 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
37 · Bottom 3%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
91 · Bottom 48%
vs96 · Top 34%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Larkspur | San Ramon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,854 | 85,993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $140,417 | $196,161 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $107,185 | $84,288 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,286/sq mi | 4,287/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,996,600 | $1,509,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,001 | $2,968 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.5% | 70.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.9% | 71.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 4.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 32 | 156 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 88.2% | 64.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 66°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.9" | 15.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 37.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 51.2 | 41.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.51 | 22.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 9.3% | 9.6% | 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
Larkspur
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, inland flooding.
San Ramon
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Larkspur, CA · San Ramon, CA · How this is calculated: methodology