Napa receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Napa
Vallejo
Opportunity
70 · Top 24%
vs48 · Bottom 34%
Growth
34 · Bottom 25%
vs32 · Bottom 22%
Climate
81 · Top 4%
vs77 · Top 13%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 11%
vs24 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
48 · Bottom 2%
vs53 · Bottom 3%
Access
79 · Top 45%
vs83 · Top 35%
Economic stability
76 · Top 18%
vs80 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Napa | Vallejo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 134,869 | 451,918 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,471 | $100,401 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $61,040 | $45,127 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 179/sq mi | 550/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $869,500 | $617,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,237 | $2,163 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.4% | 63.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.8% | 28.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 355 | 695 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -9.9% | -45.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.2" | 24.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 33.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.9 | 39.2 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Napa
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Vallejo
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Napa, CA Metro Area · Vallejo, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology