Signals
West Carson
Irvine
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 18%
vs62 · Top 38%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs12 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
49 · Bottom 10%
vs38 · Bottom 3%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | West Carson | Irvine | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,143 | 311,690 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,775 | $136,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,917 | $64,055 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,772/sq mi | 4,750/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $689,700 | $1,191,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,891 | $2,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 44.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.2% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.9% | 70.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 77°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.6" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.2 | 34.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.07 | 26.66 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 90.2% | 37.1% | 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
West Carson
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Irvine
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
West Carson
60
Your Score
—
Area Score
Irvine
60
Your Score
55
Area Score
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Full profiles: West Carson, CA · Irvine, CA · How this is calculated: methodology