Show Low and California City 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
Show Low
California City
Opportunity
24 · Bottom 3%
vs34 · Bottom 10%
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Climate
66 · Bottom 36%
vs60 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 16%
vs15 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 32%
vs64 · Bottom 25%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs26 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Show Low | California City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,102 | 14,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,368 | $60,113 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,823 | $26,434 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 185/sq mi | 71/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $299,600 | $278,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,110 | $1,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.5% | 55.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.8% | 8.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.4% | -0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.9% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 22.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 102 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.4 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -33.8% | -35.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.7" | 6.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 43 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 42.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.6 | 33.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.38 | 24.21 | 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
Show Low
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
California City
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Show Low
47
Your Score
44
Area Score
California City
49
Your Score
44
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Show Low, AZ · California City, CA · How this is calculated: methodology