Sonoma and Carpinteria 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
Sonoma
Carpinteria
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 44%
vs62 · Top 38%
Growth
38 · Bottom 28%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 13%
vs18 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
34 · Bottom 2%
vs31 · Bottom 1%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 21%
vs53 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Sonoma | Carpinteria | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,670 | 13,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,527 | $100,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $73,346 | $54,901 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,888/sq mi | 5,037/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $970,500 | $1,043,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,226 | $2,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.0% | 61.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.2% | 44.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 10 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 12.5% | -77.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.2" | 17.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 57.3 | 44.8 | 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
Sonoma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Carpinteria
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, earthquake, wildfire.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Sonoma
50
Your Score
47
Area Score
Carpinteria
50
Your Score
48
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Sonoma, CA · Carpinteria, CA · How this is calculated: methodology