Signals
Watsonville
Live Oak
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 7%
vs46 · Bottom 29%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 18%
vs24 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
31 · Bottom 1%
vs32 · Bottom 2%
Access
84 · Bottom 28%
vs88 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 35%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Watsonville | Live Oak | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,712 | 16,911 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,393 | $103,674 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,021 | $58,372 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,620/sq mi | 5,215/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $686,000 | $1,015,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,889 | $2,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.8% | 58.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.1% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.4% | 40.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 72°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.4" | 22.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.8 | 41.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 25.21 | 23.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.4% | 25.7% | 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
Watsonville
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, inland flooding.
Live Oak
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.
Watsonville
49
Your Score
42
Area Score
Live Oak
55
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Watsonville, CA · Live Oak, CA · How this is calculated: methodology