Signals
West Carson
Santa Ana
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 18%
vs54 · Bottom 46%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs12 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
49 · Bottom 10%
vs43 · Bottom 6%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | West Carson | Santa Ana | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,143 | 312,534 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,775 | $93,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,917 | $30,222 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,772/sq mi | 11,416/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $689,700 | $713,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,891 | $2,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 44.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 3.9% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.9% | 18.3% | 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 | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.2 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.07 | 20.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 90.2% | 84.6% | 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.
Santa Ana
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
Santa Ana
59
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: West Carson, CA · Santa Ana, CA · How this is calculated: methodology