Malibu receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Malibu
Pomona
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs34 · Bottom 10%
Growth
60 · Top 32%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs89 · Top 5%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
47 · Bottom 8%
vs42 · Bottom 5%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs100 · Top 1%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 6%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Malibu | Pomona | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,421 | 147,943 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $194,421 | $79,479 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $141,203 | $29,252 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 525/sq mi | 6,437/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $593,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,501 | $1,810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.4% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.5% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.6% | 20.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 94 | 256 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.0 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 291.7% | -23.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 75°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 10.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.9 min | 34.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 53.9 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.63 | 20.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 18.1% | 88.2% | 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
Malibu
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, wildfire, inland flooding.
Pomona
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Malibu, CA · Pomona, CA · How this is calculated: methodology