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
Urban Honolulu
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Opportunity
83 · Top 5%
vs60 · Top 41%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs35 · Bottom 26%
Climate
89 · Top 1%
vs84 · Top 3%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 11%
vs8 · Bottom 2%
Housing affordability
45 · Bottom 2%
vs44 · Bottom 1%
Access
92 · Top 32%
vs70 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
80 · Top 19%
vs85 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Urban Honolulu | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,001,146 | 3,288,774 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $106,195 | $106,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,516 | $51,976 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,666/sq mi | 781/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $897,500 | $854,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,083 | $2,246 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.8% | 54.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,615 | 10,425 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.2% | -19.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 65°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.9" | 14.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 37.3 | 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
Urban Honolulu
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, wildfire, tsunami.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Urban Honolulu
64
Your Score
61
Area Score
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
55
Your Score
50
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Urban Honolulu, HI Metro Area · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology