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Compare towns

Alto vs Strawberry

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (5.5× in Strawberry) and size (5.7× in Strawberry).

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Alto, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 1,024 people
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Strawberry, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 5,830 people
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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.

AltoOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 96%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Alto →
StrawberryKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 92%of CA districts HealthHealthier than 98%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#163 most conserved land in CA2.6 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves All about Strawberry →
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.

Jobs per worker5.5×
Strawberry is more of a job hub
Strawberry 1.10Alto 0.20
Size5.7×
Strawberry is the bigger place
Strawberry 5,830Alto 1,024
Average commute16 min
Alto has the shorter commute
Strawberry 30 minAlto 14 min
Age 65++11.5 pts
Strawberry has more people 65 and up
Strawberry 21.3%Alto 9.8%
Conserved land+13.6 pts
Strawberry has more conserved land
Strawberry 15.2%Alto 1.6%
Typical home built19 yrs
Alto’s homes are older
Strawberry 1971Alto 1952
★ What stands out · Where they are

Alto and Strawberry share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AltoStrawberryAltoStrawberry
Alto ↔ Strawberry1.1 miles apart · They share a border
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.

Schools
–AltoNot graded AStrawberryBetter than 92% of districts in the state
Health
A+AltoHealthier than 96% of U.S. towns A+StrawberryHealthier than 98% of U.S. towns
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
AltoStrawberry
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)83rd79th
Outdoors & history
AltoStrawberry
Trails—3 mi
Conserved land—15.2%
Settled—1949
Archive photos—1
Community
AltoStrawberry
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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.

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.

AltoStrawberry
People
Population 1,024Lowest 5,830Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3%Highest CA: +6.1% +1%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 42.3±19Lowest 12% above CA 43.9±3.4Highest 16% above CA
Strawberry and Alto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.3%±14.1Highest CA: 22% 22%±4.4Lowest CA: 22%
Alto and Strawberry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 9.8%±8.8Lowest CA: 15.7% 21.3%±1.9Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 67.1%Lowest CA: 37.1% 72.1%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.9%±12.5Highest CA: 7.6% 7.8%±2.2Lowest CA: 7.6%
Alto and Strawberry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $129,191±$123kLowest 30% above CA $157,661±$33kHighest 59% above CA
Strawberry and Alto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied — $2,000,001 172% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $2,958±$413 45% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $10,000+ at least 95% above CA $10,000+ at least 95% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 31.8%±30.1Lowest CA: 55.3% 57.7%±6Highest CA: 55.3%
Strawberry and Alto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 26%Highest CA: 12% 7%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 47%Highest CA: 55.9% 41.5%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1952Lowest 24 yrs older than CA 1971Highest 5 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 14 minLowest 51% below CA 30 minHighest 4% above CA
Work from home 17.2%±16.6Lowest CA: 17.2% 29.7%±5.8Highest CA: 17.2%
Strawberry and Alto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.4%Lowest 4.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.3 miHighest 9.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.20Lowest 1.10Highest
Top workplaceoutside town San Francisco (30%)San Francisco (33%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in StrawberryFew work in Alto
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.6%Lowest 15.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 2.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 48.2Lowest 77.9Highest
Schools
School district —Mill Valley Elementary
High school in town —None in town
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.

Alto neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alto’s Town Square.

Strawberry neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Strawberry’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Alto

+ Compare
Mill Valley14,012 people · $2M homes

Towns like Alto

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San Juan Bautista2,033 people · $786K homes
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Belvedere2,345 people · $2M homes
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Point Arena789 people · $436K homes
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Del Rey Oaks1,570 people · $836K 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.

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