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Compare towns

Arcadia vs San Clemente

53 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.4× in San Clemente) and household income (+23% in San Clemente).

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Arcadia, CAHomes around $1.38MCalifornia · 55,170 people
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San Clemente, CAHomes around $1.74MCalifornia · 63,273 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.

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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,950 more a month in San Clemente

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.

Arcadia$8,040/mo
Typical home $1.38M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69%+ · or rent about $2,191/mo · Housing →
San Clemente$9,990/mo
Typical home $1.74M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $2,460/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,950 a month, about $23,400 a year, between San Clemente and Arcadia.

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; “+” means the Census top-codes that town’s bill at $10,000, so its real rate is higher.

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.

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
ArcadiaSan Clemente
Snow a year0″0″
January low46°F44°F
July high89°F80°F
Growing season (days)365d365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)93rd68th
Outdoors & history
ArcadiaSan Clemente
Conserved land7.8%4.2%
National Register places16
Archive photos1814
Famous people born here4037
Community
ArcadiaSan Clemente
Library hours a week60 hrs60 hrs
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.

Where they are

53 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Arcadia ↔ San Clemente53 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.

ArcadiaSan Clemente
People
Population 55,170Lowest 63,273Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.6%Lowest CA: +6.1% +1.2%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 43.9±1.1Lowest 16% above CA 45.6±1.6Highest 20% above CA
San Clemente and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.9%±1.7Highest CA: 22% 20.8%±1.7Lowest CA: 22%
Arcadia and San Clemente are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.6%±1.5Lowest CA: 15.7% 21.4%±1.4Highest CA: 15.7%
San Clemente and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 57.4%Highest CA: 37.1% 53.8%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.9%±1.2Highest CA: 7.6% 5.6%±0.8Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $113,516±$10kLowest 15% above CA $140,062±$11kHighest 41% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,441,800±$74kHighest 96% above CA $1,398,400±$89kLowest 90% above CA
Arcadia and San Clemente are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,191±$68Lowest 8% above CA $2,460±$118Highest 21% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $10,000+Highest at least 95% above CA $8,160Lowest 59% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 58.5%±5.7Highest CA: 55.3% 56%±5.1Lowest CA: 55.3%
Arcadia and San Clemente are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.6%Highest CA: 12% 5.8%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 58.1%Lowest CA: 55.9% 66.5%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than CA 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minHighest about the CA average 29 minLowest about the CA average
Work from home 22.7%±2.8Lowest CA: 17.2% 22.8%±2.1Highest CA: 17.2%
San Clemente and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 10.5%Lowest 18.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 20.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.15Highest 0.81Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (22%)Irvine (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in San ClementeFew work in Arcadia
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.8%Highest 4.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 10.3 miLowest 44.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miLowest 2.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 18Lowest 23Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 95.0Highest 91.7Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #237 of 574 in CA#107 of 574 in CA
School district Arcadia UnifiedCapistrano Unified
High school in town Arcadia HighSan Clemente High
Students per teacherat that high school 24.7Highest 23.6Lowest
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.

Arcadia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Arcadia’s Town Square.

San Clemente neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to San Clemente’s Town Square.

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Bordering Arcadia

Towns like Arcadia

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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