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Altadena vs Walnut

19 miles apart. The biggest differences: typical home built (36 yrs in Altadena) and rent (+36% in Walnut).

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Altadena, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 41,705 people

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Walnut, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 27,611 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

AltadenaOne of the healthiest towns

HealthHealthier than 84%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates

HistorySettled in 188713 places on the National Register

Outdoors#206 most trails in CA14 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves All about Altadena →

WalnutKnown for its schools

Schools#31 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 86%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates

Outdoors#76 most trails in CA28 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves All about Walnut →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Typical home built36 yrs

Altadena’s homes are older

Walnut 1982Altadena 1946

Rent runs higher in Walnut

Walnut $3,202Altadena $2,355

Jobs per worker2.4×

Walnut is more of a job hub

Walnut 0.79Altadena 0.33

Walnut has more miles of trail

Walnut 28.1 miAltadena 14.4 mi

Property tax bill+23%

Tax bills are bigger in Walnut

Walnut $7,897Altadena $6,437

Average commute6 min

Altadena has the shorter commute

Walnut 34 minAltadena 28 min

★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

–AltadenaNot graded B−WalnutSafer than 47% of U.S. towns

Schools

B+AltadenaBetter than 67% of districts in the state AWalnutBetter than 89% of districts in the state

Health

A−AltadenaHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns AWalnutHealthier than 86% of U.S. towns

10Altadena

10Walnut

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #599#52 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #397#690 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #196#5 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #296#463 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #609#769 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #206#76 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #241#103 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #158#43

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Altadena’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $450 more a month in Walnut

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Altadena$6,450/mo

Typical home $1.13M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $2,355/mo · Housing →

Walnut$6,900/mo

Typical home $1.17M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $3,202/mo · Housing →

The difference: $450 a month, about $5,400 a year, between Walnut and Altadena.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

AltadenaWalnut

Snow a year0″0″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)92nd 87th

Outdoors & history

AltadenaWalnut

Trails14 mi 28 mi

Conserved land11.3%9.4%

Settled1887 1959

National Register places13 —

Archive photos18 6

Famous people born here30 6

Community

AltadenaWalnut

Library hours a week48 hrs 40 hrs

Colleges in town—1

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

19 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AltadenaWalnut

Altadena ↔ Walnut19 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs California average

AltadenaWalnut

People

Population 41,705Highest 27,611Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.2%Highest CA: +6.1% -2.5%Lowest CA: +6.1%

Median age 46.4±1.7Lowest 22% above CA 46.8±1.7Highest 23% above CA

Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 19.1%±1.6Lowest CA: 22% 19.8%±1.9Highest CA: 22%

Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 22%±1.6Lowest CA: 15.7% 24%±1.9Highest CA: 15.7%

Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 53.3%Lowest CA: 37.1% 57.3%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.2%±0.9Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.1%±1.2Highest CA: 7.6%

Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $128,720±$12kLowest 30% above CA $129,449±$14kHighest 31% above CA

Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,120,000±$30kHighest 52% above CA $1,014,000±$38kLowest 38% above CA

Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,355±$174Lowest 16% above CA $3,202±$442Highest 57% above CA

Property taxmedian, yearly $6,437Lowest 26% above CA $7,897Highest 54% above CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 60.9%±3.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 61.5%±6.7Highest CA: 55.3%

Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 7.9%Lowest CA: 12% 10.1%Highest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 76.9%Lowest CA: 55.9% 83.8%Highest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1946Lowest 30 yrs older than CA 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 4% below CA 34 minHighest 17% above CA

Work from home 25.4%±2.7Highest CA: 17.2% 19.7%±2.7Lowest CA: 17.2%

Work in townworking residents 4.8%Lowest 7.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 14.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Lowest 0.79Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (28%)Los Angeles (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WalnutFew work in Altadena

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 11.3%Highest 9.4%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 14.4 miLowest 28.1 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miLowest 3.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 14Highest 12Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 86.7Highest 82.1Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#31 of 574 in CA

School district OCS - South District · Pasadena UnifiedRowland Unified · Walnut Valley Unified

High school in town None in townWalnut High

Students per teacherat that high school — 23.2

California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Altadena neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Altadena’s Town Square.

Walnut neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Walnut’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Altadena and Walnut

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Bordering Altadena

Pasadena136,969 people · $1.09M homes

Towns like Altadena

Diamond Bar53,355 people · $902K homes

Cerritos47,867 people · $935K homes

Poway48,713 people · $1.03M homes

Yorba Linda67,170 people · $1.15M homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.