Palos Verdes Estates and Santa Ana receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Palos Verdes Estates | Santa Ana | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,925 | 312,534 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $242,014 | $93,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $133,196 | $30,222 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,706/sq mi | 11,416/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $713,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,217 | $2,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 89.7% | 44.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 3.9% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 79.6% | 18.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.9% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 14 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.6% | 88.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.6" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.4 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 52.4 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.24 | 20.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 10.2% | 84.6% | 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
Palos Verdes Estates
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Santa Ana
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Palos Verdes Estates, CA · Santa Ana, CA · How this is calculated: methodology