Signals
North Fair Oaks
San Rafael
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs58 · Top 45%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
36 · Bottom 3%
vs42 · Bottom 5%
Access
97 · Top 23%
vs91 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 44%
vs60 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | North Fair Oaks | San Rafael | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,100 | 60,433 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,884 | $119,435 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,734 | $70,031 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 10,953/sq mi | 3,643/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,276,900 | $1,355,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,314 | $2,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.7% | 53.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 49.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 77°F | 66°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 22.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 27.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.7 | 43.2 | 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
North Fair Oaks
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
San Rafael
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, inland flooding.
Your best match
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North Fair Oaks
63
Your Score
—
Area Score
San Rafael
60
Your Score
56
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: North Fair Oaks, CA · San Rafael, CA · How this is calculated: methodology