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Compare towns

Bell vs San Pablo

360 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+15.7 pts in San Pablo) and jobs per worker (2.3× in Bell).

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Bell, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 32,476 people
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San Pablo, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 31,720 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 $750 more a month in Bell

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.

Bell$4,040/mo
Typical home $683K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · or rent about $1,575/mo · Housing →
San Pablo$3,290/mo
Typical home $555K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · or rent about $2,018/mo · Housing →

The difference: $750 a month, about $9,000 a year, between Bell and San Pablo.

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

San Pablo places higher on 15 of 21 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.

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
BellSan Pablo
Snow a year0″0″
January low—43°F
July high—74°F
Growing season (days)—365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)80th95th
Outdoors & history
BellSan Pablo
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land0.6%1.7%
Settled1913—
Archive photos1234
Famous people born here1911
Community
BellSan Pablo
Library hours a week40 hrs52 hrs
Colleges in town—1
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

360 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Bell ↔ San Pablo360 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.

BellSan Pablo
People
Population 32,476Highest 31,720Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.4%Lowest CA: +6.1% +10.3%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 34.3±1.4Lowest 9% below CA 34.6±1.6Highest 9% below CA
San Pablo and Bell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.3%±2.5Highest CA: 22% 25.4%±2.6Lowest CA: 22%
Bell and San Pablo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.4%±1.5Lowest CA: 15.7% 11.5%±1.4Highest CA: 15.7%
San Pablo and Bell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 9.7%Lowest CA: 37.1% 16.8%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.5%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.2%±1.3Highest CA: 7.6%
San Pablo and Bell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $61,020±$5kLowest 38% below CA $79,478±$3kHighest 20% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $591,600±$32kHighest 19% below CA $551,700±$25kLowest 25% below CA
Bell and San Pablo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,575±$59Lowest 23% below CA $2,018±$118Highest about the CA average
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,770Highest 7% below CA $4,461Lowest 13% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 64%±5.3Highest CA: 55.3% 56.4%±8.2Lowest CA: 55.3%
Bell and San Pablo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 21.6%Highest CA: 12% 12.6%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 26.5%Lowest CA: 55.9% 42%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than CA 1969Highest 7 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minLowest 5% above CA 32 minHighest 13% above CA
Work from home 4.1%±1.5Lowest CA: 17.2% 8.9%±1.9Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 4.2%Lowest 5.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 12.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.90Highest 0.39Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (25%)San Francisco (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in San PabloFew work in Bell
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.6%Lowest 1.7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 99.0Lowest 199Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #131 of 574 in CA—
School district Magnolia Science Academy Bell District · Los Angeles UnifiedWest Contra Costa Unified
High school in town Bell Senior HighNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 20.7 —
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.

Bell neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bell’s Town Square.

San Pablo neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to San Pablo’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Bell

Towns like Bell

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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