Torrance receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pomona
Torrance
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 10%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs32 · Bottom 20%
Climate
89 · Top 5%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 5%
vs42 · Bottom 5%
Access
100 · Top 1%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs62 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Pomona | Torrance | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 147,943 | 142,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,479 | $116,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,252 | $58,656 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,437/sq mi | 6,928/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $593,800 | $1,074,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,810 | $2,280 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.0% | 55.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 7.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 256 | 285 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -23.4% | -4.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 10.0" | 13.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.5 min | 29.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.0 | 43.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 35 | 34 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.61 | 25.36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.2% | 34.2% | 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
Pomona
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Torrance
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Pomona, CA · Torrance, CA · How this is calculated: methodology