Gilroy receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Petaluma
Gilroy
Opportunity
57 · Top 49%
vs63 · Top 35%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 14%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 8%
vs56 · Bottom 16%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs85 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
70 · Top 30%
vs73 · Top 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Petaluma | Gilroy | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 59,247 | 59,004 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $115,430 | $133,107 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,931 | $48,965 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,110/sq mi | 3,568/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $878,600 | $1,027,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,440 | $2,301 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.5% | 62.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.8% | 29.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.5% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 225 | 152 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 177.8% | 56.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.2" | 22.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.9 min | 35.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.3 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.64 | 23.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 41.5% | 50.8% | 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
Petaluma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Gilroy
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Petaluma, CA · Gilroy, CA · How this is calculated: methodology