Rancho Cordova receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rancho Cordova
Lincoln
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 46%
vs66 · Top 31%
Growth
76 · Top 9%
vs79 · Top 5%
Climate
81 · Top 16%
vs75 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 45%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 23%
vs63 · Bottom 24%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs96 · Top 31%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs59 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Rancho Cordova | Lincoln | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 81,849 | 52,956 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,585 | $111,990 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,928 | $53,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,368/sq mi | 2,159/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $477,600 | $651,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,787 | $2,090 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.2% | 83.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.1% | 40.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 6.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 961 | 598 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.7 | 11.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.4% | 38.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.2" | 18.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 31.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.0 | 43.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 25 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.36 | 23.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.2% | 34.8% | 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
Rancho Cordova
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Lincoln
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Rancho Cordova
71
Your Score
67
Area Score
Lincoln
69
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rancho Cordova, CA · Lincoln, CA · How this is calculated: methodology