Fremont receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Martinez
Fremont
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 46%
vs57 · Top 47%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 18%
vs59 · Bottom 19%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
71 · Top 26%
vs75 · Top 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Martinez | Fremont | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,903 | 228,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $127,355 | $181,506 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $63,648 | $77,049 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,919/sq mi | 2,923/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $859,800 | $1,403,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,353 | $2,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.8% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.7% | 63.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 5.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 19 | 708 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 72.7% | 713.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.1" | 13.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.6 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.46 | 23.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.0% | 30.5% | 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
Martinez
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Fremont
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Martinez, CA · Fremont, CA · How this is calculated: methodology