Signals
Winter Gardens
La Mesa
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 49%
vs59 · Top 45%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
9 · Bottom 3%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 18%
vs40 · Bottom 4%
Access
61 · Bottom 7%
vs56 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
65 · Top 39%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Winter Gardens | La Mesa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,131 | 60,797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,973 | $95,028 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,663 | $49,543 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,007/sq mi | 6,687/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $608,600 | $812,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,913 | $2,049 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.5% | 47.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.2% | 40.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 11.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 80°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.5" | 11.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 70 mi | 77 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.1 | 37.4 | 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
Winter Gardens
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
La Mesa
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
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Winter Gardens
58
Your Score
—
Area Score
La Mesa
53
Your Score
50
Area Score
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Full profiles: Winter Gardens, CA · La Mesa, CA · How this is calculated: methodology