Morro Bay receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Morro Bay
Sonoma
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 35%
vs54 · Bottom 44%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs38 · Bottom 28%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 24%
vs19 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
43 · Bottom 6%
vs34 · Bottom 2%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 17%
vs43 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Morro Bay | Sonoma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,692 | 10,670 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,843 | $98,527 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $64,740 | $73,346 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,003/sq mi | 3,888/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $918,200 | $970,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,858 | $2,226 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.4% | 65.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.5% | 51.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 10.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 13 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -40.9% | 12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 78°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 17.9" | 20.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 28.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 54.3 | 57.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.58 | 19.76 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.5% | 37.2% | 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
Morro Bay
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Sonoma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Morro Bay, CA · Sonoma, CA · How this is calculated: methodology