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Atascadero vs Templeton

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (4× in Atascadero) and rent (+37% in Templeton).

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Atascadero, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 29,712 people
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Templeton, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 9,580 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.

AtascaderoKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 74%of CA districts Housing$780K typical home2% above the CA typical home HealthHealthier than 72%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Atascadero →
TempletonKnown for its schools
Schools#96 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 91%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$933K typical home22% above the CA typical home All about Templeton →
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.

Trails4×
Atascadero has more miles of trail
Atascadero 20.7 miTempleton 5.2 mi
Rent+37%
Rent runs higher in Templeton
Templeton $2,533Atascadero $1,854
Household income+28%
Households in Templeton earn more
Templeton $117,063Atascadero $91,429
Size3.1×
Atascadero is the bigger place
Atascadero 29,712Templeton 9,580
Jobs per worker+81%
Templeton is more of a job hub
Templeton 1.23Atascadero 0.68
Bachelor’s degree++9.3 pts
More adults in Templeton have a degree
Templeton 40.9%Atascadero 31.6%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $910 more a month in Templeton

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.

Atascadero$4,570/mo
Typical home $780K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $1,854/mo · Housing →
Templeton$5,480/mo
Typical home $933K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $2,533/mo · Housing →

The difference: $910 a month, about $11,000 a year, between Templeton and Atascadero.

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

Templeton places higher on 11 of 19 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.

Safety
BAtascaderoSafer than 58% of U.S. towns –TempletonNot graded
Schools
B+AtascaderoBetter than 74% of districts in the state A−TempletonBetter than 78% of districts in the state
Health
B+AtascaderoHealthier than 72% of U.S. towns ATempletonHealthier than 91% of U.S. towns
8Atascadero
11Templeton

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #389#664 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #424#158 Highest incomeIncome · 843 towns #451#247 HealthiestHealth · 844 towns #338#139 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #378#559 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #255#88 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #373#216 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #241#103

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

Where they are

Atascadero and Templeton share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

AtascaderoTempletonAtascaderoTempleton
Atascadero ↔ Templeton5.1 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
719 Atascadero residents work in Templeton (5.8% of its workers)
416 Templeton residents work in Atascadero (12% of its workers)
Work & commute in Atascadero →
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
AtascaderoTempleton
Snow a year0″0″
January low—34°F
July high—91°F
Growing season (days)—238d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)84th81st
Outdoors & history
AtascaderoTempleton
Trails21 mi5 mi
Conserved land3.5%2.2%
Settled1979—
National Register places2—
Archive photos—6
Famous people born here146
Community
AtascaderoTempleton
Library hours a week39 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.

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.

AtascaderoTempleton
People
Population 29,712Highest 9,580Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.2%Lowest CA: +6.1% +9.3%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 40.4±1.7Highest 7% above CA 39.7±4.6Lowest 5% above CA
Atascadero and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21%±2.3Lowest CA: 22% 26.1%±4.5Highest CA: 22%
Templeton and Atascadero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.5%±1.8Lowest CA: 15.7% 19.8%±3.7Highest CA: 15.7%
Templeton and Atascadero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 31.6%Lowest CA: 37.1% 40.9%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.9%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6% 6.4%±2.8Highest CA: 7.6%
Templeton and Atascadero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $91,429±$7kLowest 8% below CA $117,063±$12kHighest 18% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $716,500±$31kLowest about the CA average $810,400±$37kHighest 10% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,854±$83Lowest 9% below CA $2,533±$500Highest 24% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,289Lowest 3% above CA $6,173Highest 20% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.2%±7.8 CA: 55.3% 53.2%±18.9 CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 11.4%Highest CA: 12% 4.2%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 64.6%Lowest CA: 55.9% 73.5%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than CA 1995Highest 19 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 20% below CA 21 minLowest 27% below CA
Work from home 13.8%±2.6Highest CA: 17.2% 8.6%±2.8Lowest CA: 17.2%
Atascadero and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 21.1%Highest 12.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miLowest 17.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.68Lowest 1.23Highest
Top workplaceoutside town San Luis Obispo (17%)El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 6% work in Templeton12% work in Atascadero
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.5%Highest 2.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 20.7 miHighest 5.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 32.4Lowest 36.9Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#96 of 574 in CA
School district Atascadero UnifiedTempleton Unified
High school in town Atascadero HighTempleton High
Students per teacherat that high school 19.5Lowest 19.8Highest
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.

Atascadero neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Atascadero’s Town Square.

Templeton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Templeton’s Town Square.

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Towns like Atascadero

+ Compare
El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)31,446 people · $687K homes
+ Compare
Duarte22,184 people · $779K homes
+ Compare
Ripon16,201 people · $705K homes
+ Compare
Covina49,888 people · $719K 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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