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%

Amesti$5,060/mo

Typical home $879K (Census) · tax rate 0.61% · or rent about $1,660/mo · Housing →

Freedom$4,350/mo

Typical home $755K (Census) · tax rate 0.62% · or rent about $1,621/mo · Housing →

The difference: $710 a month, about $8,500 a year, between Amesti and Freedom.

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.

Report cards

Freedom places higher on 13 of 18 CA lists

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

B−AmestiBetter than 52% of districts in the state B−FreedomBetter than 52% of districts in the state

Health

C+AmestiHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns BFreedomHealthier than 61% of U.S. towns

4Amesti

13Freedom

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #809#49 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #391#689 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #530#235 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #109#319 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #778#582 HealthiestHealth · 844 towns #575#428 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #420#288 Highest incomeIncome · 843 towns #305#430

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

Where they are

Amesti and Freedom share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AmestiFreedom

Amesti ↔ Freedom1.5 miles apart · They share a border

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

AmestiFreedom

Snow a year0″0″

January low40°F 40°F

July high71°F 71°F

Growing season (days)324d 324d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)97th 97th

Outdoors & history

AmestiFreedom

Trails2 mi 0 mi

Conserved land21.6%7.2%

Archive photos—2

Community

AmestiFreedom

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.

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

AmestiFreedom

People

Population 2,818Lowest 3,172Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -24.2%Lowest CA: +6.1% +24.9%Highest CA: +6.1%

Median age 40.1±5.1Highest 6% above CA 32.1±3.9Lowest 15% below CA

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

Kids under 18 24.3%±5.3Lowest CA: 22% 30.1%±6.7Highest CA: 22%

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

Age 65+ 21.3%±3.6Highest CA: 15.7% 14.3%±2.2Lowest CA: 15.7%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.4%Lowest CA: 37.1% 24.8%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.6%±3.2Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.2%±3Highest CA: 7.6%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $108,833±$25kHighest 10% above CA $93,750±$41kLowest 5% below CA

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $879,400±$74kHighest 20% above CA $755,300±$83kLowest about the CA average

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,660±$784Highest 18% below CA $1,621±$209Lowest 20% below CA

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $5,331Highest 4% above CA $4,656Lowest 9% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 78.5%±28.8Highest CA: 55.3% 35.8%±16.1Lowest CA: 55.3%

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

Below poverty line 13.4%Highest CA: 12% 7.3%Lowest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 80.7%Highest CA: 55.9% 56.6%Lowest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1970Highest 6 yrs older than CA 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 39 minHighest 36% above CA 31 minLowest 7% above CA

Work from home 13.4%±8Highest CA: 17.2% 5.4%±3.4Lowest CA: 17.2%

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

Work in townworking residents 4.2%Highest 1.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miHighest 13.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.21Lowest 0.22Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Watsonville (18%)Watsonville (19%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FreedomFew work in Amesti

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 21.6%Highest 7.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 2.1 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 25.1Lowest 40.8Highest

Schools

School district Pajaro Valley UnifiedPajaro Valley Unified · Santa Cruz County Office of Education

High school in town None in townSanta Cruz County Career Advancement Charter

Students per teacherat that high school — 27.2

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.

Amesti neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Amesti’s Town Square.

Freedom neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Freedom’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Amesti and Freedom

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Amesti

+ Compare

Watsonville51,712 people · $686K homes

+ Compare

Corralitos1,884 people · $2M homes

+ Compare

Interlaken8,068 people · $831K homes

Towns like Amesti

+ Compare

Irwindale1,377 people · $709K homes

+ Compare

Lakeport5,113 people · $334K homes

+ Compare

Wheatland3,876 people · $429K homes

+ Compare

San Juan Bautista2,033 people · $786K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Amesti vs Freedom

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $710 more a month in Amesti

Freedom places higher on 13 of 18 CA lists

Amesti and Freedom share a border

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Amesti and Freedom

Bordering Amesti

Towns like Amesti

Post to Amesti

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