Signals
West Carson
Lancaster
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 18%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs60 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
49 · Bottom 10%
vs57 · Bottom 16%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | West Carson | Lancaster | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,143 | 169,169 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,775 | $81,511 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,917 | $31,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,772/sq mi | 1,794/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $689,700 | $446,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,891 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 60.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 7.2% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.6% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.9% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 77°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.6" | 6.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.2 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.07 | 23.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 90.2% | 75.6% | 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.
Lancaster
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
Lancaster
45
Your Score
38
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: West Carson, CA · Lancaster, CA · How this is calculated: methodology