Urban Honolulu receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Urban Honolulu
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs84 · Top 4%
Growth
42 · Bottom 36%
vs40 · Bottom 34%
Climate
84 · Top 3%
vs89 · Top 1%
Physical resilience
8 · Bottom 1%
vs21 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
44 · Bottom 1%
vs45 · Bottom 1%
Access
70 · Bottom 39%
vs92 · Top 20%
Economic stability
85 · Top 9%
vs80 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Urban Honolulu | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,288,774 | 1,001,146 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $106,268 | $106,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,976 | $47,516 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 781/sq mi | 1,666/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $854,700 | $897,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,246 | $2,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.6% | 59.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.2% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10,425 | 1,615 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -19.1% | 7.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 65°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 14.6" | 13.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 29.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 39.8 | 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 Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Urban Honolulu
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, wildfire, tsunami.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
56
Your Score
50
Area Score
Urban Honolulu
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metro Area · Urban Honolulu, HI Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology