Riverside receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Twentynine Palms
Riverside
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 8%
vs50 · Bottom 38%
Growth
40 · Bottom 32%
vs59 · Top 35%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs90 · Top 5%
Physical resilience
7 · Bottom 2%
vs4 · Bottom 1%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 30%
vs53 · Bottom 13%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs97 · Top 23%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 41%
vs59 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Twentynine Palms | Riverside | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,355 | 319,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,554 | $91,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,188 | $34,896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 466/sq mi | 3,932/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $268,200 | $584,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,352 | $1,914 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 38.2% | 56.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 25.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 53 | 596 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 47.2% | 105.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 104°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 3.9" | 9.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.7 min | 33.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 24.8 | 33.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 76 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.78 | 22.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 63.6% | 77.1% | 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
Twentynine Palms
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Riverside
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Twentynine Palms
49
Your Score
42
Area Score
Riverside
59
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Twentynine Palms, CA · Riverside, CA · How this is calculated: methodology