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Compare towns

Calexico vs Atwater

433 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+13.3 pts in Atwater) and work in town (+19.7 pts in Calexico).

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Calexico, CAHomes around $394KCalifornia · 38,585 people
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Atwater, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 32,162 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 · Report cards

Atwater places higher on 14 of 23 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.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Calexico$2,350/mo
Typical home $394K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $1,093/mo · Housing →
Atwater$2,450/mo
Typical home $422K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $1,279/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Atwater and Calexico.

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.

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
CalexicoAtwater
Snow a year0″0″
January low—37°F
July high—95°F
Growing season (days)—263d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th61st
Outdoors & history
CalexicoAtwater
Trails6 mi8 mi
Conserved land1.4%1.8%
Settled19081922
National Register places21
Archive photos10—
Community
CalexicoAtwater
Library hours a week20 hrs37 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

433 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Calexico ↔ Atwater433 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.

CalexicoAtwater
People
Population 38,585Highest 32,162Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.2%Lowest CA: +6.1% +13.5%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 34.6±1.4Highest 9% below CA 33±1.8Lowest 13% below CA
Calexico and Atwater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.2%±2.4Lowest CA: 22% 29%±2.6Highest CA: 22%
Atwater and Calexico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.5%±1.7Highest CA: 15.7% 12.4%±1.4Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.9%Highest CA: 37.1% 12.9%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.7%±1.5Highest CA: 7.6% 5.5%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $49,783±$6kLowest 50% below CA $64,472±$5kHighest 35% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $313,600±$18kLowest 57% below CA $363,400±$10kHighest 51% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,093±$58Lowest 46% below CA $1,279±$70Highest 37% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,672Highest 48% below CA $2,407Lowest 53% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.8%±10.4Highest CA: 55.3% 53.4%±7.7Lowest CA: 55.3%
Calexico and Atwater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 19.7%Lowest CA: 12% 21%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 50.2%Lowest CA: 55.9% 52.1%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1993Highest 17 yrs newer than CA 1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 10% below CA 28 minHighest about the CA average
Work from home 7.4%±1.9Highest CA: 17.2% 4.2%±1.3Lowest CA: 17.2%
Calexico and Atwater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 30.4%Highest 10.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 21.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.58Highest 0.53Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town El Centro (16%)Merced (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AtwaterFew work in Calexico
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.4%Lowest 1.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 5.9 miLowest 7.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miLowest 1.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 19Highest 11Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.3Lowest 120Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #302 of 574 in CA#289 of 574 in CA
School district Calexico UnifiedAtwater Elementary · Merced Union High
High school in town Calexico HighAtwater High
Students per teacherat that high school 22.3Highest 20.7Lowest
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.

Calexico neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Calexico’s Town Square.

Atwater neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Atwater’s Town Square.

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Towns like Calexico

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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