Lathrop receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lathrop
Stockton
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 38%
vs34 · Bottom 10%
Growth
72 · Top 14%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 20%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 23%
vs62 · Bottom 22%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 3%
Economic stability
70 · Top 29%
vs50 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Lathrop | Stockton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,052 | 322,326 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $126,421 | $79,907 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,991 | $31,918 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,768/sq mi | 5,092/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $643,600 | $440,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,570 | $1,577 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 85.3% | 53.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 6.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.1% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 482 | 306 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.8 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -48.0% | -25.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 13.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 44.0 min | 32.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.9 | 33.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 115 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.10 | 22.74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.1% | 76.9% | 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
Lathrop
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Stockton
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Full profiles: Lathrop, CA · Stockton, CA · How this is calculated: methodology