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Auburn vs Carpinteria

323 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+58% in Carpinteria) and home values (+55% in Carpinteria).

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Auburn, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 13,768 people
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Carpinteria, CAHomes around $1.52MCalifornia · 13,036 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.

AuburnKnown for its schools
Schools#213 for schools in CAof 574 towns History30 archive photos & papers14 places on the National Register HealthHealthier than 66%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Auburn →
CarpinteriaHomes around $1.52M
Housing$1.52M typical home99% above the CA typical home SchoolsBetter than 50%of CA districts HealthHealthier than 78%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Carpinteria →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Rent+58%
Rent runs higher in Carpinteria
Carpinteria $2,377Auburn $1,501
Home values+55%
Homes cost more in Carpinteria
Carpinteria $1,043,100Auburn $672,500
Street grid2.5×
Auburn has the more walkable street grid
Auburn 78.8Carpinteria 31.8
Seasonal homes+8.2 pts
Carpinteria has more second homes
Carpinteria 10.8%Auburn 2.6%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $5,010 more a month in Carpinteria

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.

Auburn$3,730/mo
Typical home $628K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $1,501/mo · Housing →
Carpinteria$8,740/mo
Typical home $1.52M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.60% · or rent about $2,377/mo · Housing →

The difference: $5,010 a month, about $60,200 a year, between Carpinteria and Auburn.

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

Auburn places higher on 15 of 22 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
B−AuburnSafer than 49% of U.S. towns C+CarpinteriaSafer than 42% of U.S. towns
Schools
BAuburnBetter than 57% of districts in the state B−CarpinteriaBetter than 50% of districts in the state
Health
B+AuburnHealthier than 66% of U.S. towns A−CarpinteriaHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns
15Auburn
6Carpinteria

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #50#529 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #208#617 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #568#184 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #370#671 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #166#448 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #424#158 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #202#406 Most affordableCost of living · 835 towns #446#664

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

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
AuburnCarpinteria
Snow a year—0″
January low—47°F
July high—76°F
Growing season (days)—365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)10th98th
Outdoors & history
AuburnCarpinteria
Trails12 mi9 mi
Conserved land8.5%3%
National Register places14—
Archive photos304
Famous people born here326
Community
AuburnCarpinteria
Library hours a week38 hrs42 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

323 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AuburnCACarpinteriaCA
Auburn ↔ Carpinteria323 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.

AuburnCarpinteria
People
Population 13,768Highest 13,036Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.3%Highest CA: +6.1% +1.7%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 47.5±4Highest 25% above CA 44.8±3.9Lowest 18% above CA
Auburn and Carpinteria are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 17%±2.8Lowest CA: 22% 20.1%±3.3Highest CA: 22%
Carpinteria and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 27%±2.8Highest CA: 15.7% 24.3%±3.3Lowest CA: 15.7%
Auburn and Carpinteria are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 40.6%Lowest CA: 37.1% 44%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4%±1.2Lowest CA: 7.6% 6.5%±1.9Highest CA: 7.6%
Carpinteria and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $82,674±$8kLowest 17% below CA $100,658±$12kHighest about the CA average
Carpinteria and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $672,500±$29kLowest 8% below CA $1,043,100±$73kHighest 42% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,501±$129Lowest 26% below CA $2,377±$149Highest 17% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,633Lowest 10% above CA $6,258Highest 22% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.9%±10Lowest CA: 55.3% 65%±12.3Highest CA: 55.3%
Carpinteria and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 13%Highest CA: 12% 7%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.4%Highest CA: 55.9% 61.5%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than CA 1975Lowest 1 yr older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 26% below CA 25 minHighest 13% below CA
Work from home 19%±2.8Highest CA: 17.2% 16.4%±4Lowest CA: 17.2%
Auburn and Carpinteria are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12.6%Lowest 17.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 12.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.21Highest 1.12Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town North Auburn (10%)Santa Barbara (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CarpinteriaFew work in Auburn
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 8.5%Highest 3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 12.4 miHighest 8.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 13Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 78.8Highest 31.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #213 of 574 in CA#293 of 574 in CA
School district Auburn Union Elementary · Placer Union HighCarpinteria Unified
High school in town Placer HighCarpinteria Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school 22.3Highest 18.2Lowest
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.

Auburn neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Auburn’s Town Square.

Carpinteria neighborsTown Square →

1 neighbor in Carpinteria can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Auburn and Carpinteria

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

Bordering Auburn

N
+ Compare
North Auburn13,480 people · $530K homes

Towns like Auburn

+ Compare
Arroyo Grande18,372 people · $814K homes
+ Compare
Healdsburg11,243 people · $950K homes
+ Compare
Duarte22,184 people · $779K homes
+ Compare
Ojai7,577 people · $1.02M 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.

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