Santa Paula receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Port Hueneme
Santa Paula
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 34%
vs34 · Bottom 10%
Growth
38 · Bottom 29%
vs75 · Top 10%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
13 · Bottom 9%
vs13 · Bottom 9%
Housing affordability
45 · Bottom 7%
vs43 · Bottom 6%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs84 · Bottom 28%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 42%
vs56 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Port Hueneme | Santa Paula | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,582 | 31,376 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,660 | $79,294 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,241 | $32,457 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,888/sq mi | 5,674/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $587,000 | $611,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,228 | $1,736 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.3% | 55.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.1% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 364 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 11.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | 26.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 78°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.9" | 12.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 29.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.96 | 20.78 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 79.1% | 81.5% | 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
Port Hueneme
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Santa Paula
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Port Hueneme
54
Your Score
49
Area Score
Santa Paula
58
Your Score
51
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Port Hueneme, CA · Santa Paula, CA · How this is calculated: methodology