Rio Vista and Vacaville receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Rio Vista
Vacaville
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 29%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 24%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 24%
vs59 · Bottom 18%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 26%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Rio Vista | Vacaville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,102 | 102,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,306 | $111,126 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,183 | $46,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,531/sq mi | 3,435/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $489,700 | $620,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,724 | $2,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.9% | 67.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.5% | 28.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 33 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -21.4% | -31.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.8" | 24.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 41.4 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 63.8 | 38.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.76 | 22.05 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.1% | 51.7% | 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
Rio Vista
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Vacaville
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Rio Vista, CA · Vacaville, CA · How this is calculated: methodology