Los Angeles receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
San Bernardino
Los Angeles
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 10%
vs41 · Bottom 17%
Growth
47 · Bottom 45%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
90 · Top 7%
vs100 · Top 6%
Physical resilience
7 · Bottom 2%
vs11 · Bottom 9%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 15%
vs31 · Bottom 2%
Access
100 · Top 2%
vs99 · Top 11%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 23%
vs53 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | San Bernardino | Los Angeles | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 222,724 | 3,857,263 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,415 | $81,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,328 | $47,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,586/sq mi | 8,198/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $422,300 | $921,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,508 | $1,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.0% | 36.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.6% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 102 | 17,632 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 4.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 126.7% | 81.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 75°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 9.4" | 13.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 33.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-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
San Bernardino
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Los Angeles
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
San Bernardino
54
Your Score
48
Area Score
Los Angeles
56
Your Score
50
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: San Bernardino, CA · Los Angeles, CA · How this is calculated: methodology