Signals
Rancho San Diego
Solana Beach
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs64 · Top 34%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
9 · Bottom 3%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
43 · Bottom 6%
vs38 · Bottom 4%
Access
57 · Bottom 6%
vs60 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Rancho San Diego | Solana Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,272 | 12,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $118,682 | $152,167 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,548 | $99,142 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,446/sq mi | 3,756/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $905,300 | $2,000,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,618 | $3,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.1% | 67.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.7% | 72.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 5.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 80°F | 74°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 48°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.0" | 11.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 74 mi | 72 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.2 | 50.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.14 | 23.59 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 72.8% | 19.2% | 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
Rancho San Diego
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Solana Beach
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 San Diego
55
Your Score
—
Area Score
Solana Beach
52
Your Score
50
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rancho San Diego, CA · Solana Beach, CA · How this is calculated: methodology