Benicia receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Suisun City
Benicia
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 27%
vs61 · Top 40%
Growth
49 · Bottom 47%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 10%
vs58 · Bottom 17%
Access
81 · Bottom 24%
vs90 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
71 · Top 28%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Suisun City | Benicia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,286 | 26,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,787 | $121,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,624 | $63,686 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,312/sq mi | 2,088/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $579,500 | $810,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,157 | $2,280 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 47.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 7.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 12 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 75.0% | 140.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.8" | 16.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.3 min | 30.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 44.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.62 | 22.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.0% | 23.5% | 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
Suisun City
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Benicia
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Suisun City
57
Your Score
50
Area Score
Benicia
61
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Suisun City, CA · Benicia, CA · How this is calculated: methodology