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Compare towns

Carson vs Vacaville

375 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (16.5× in Vacaville) and work in town (+14.4 pts in Vacaville).

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Carson, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 92,871 people
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Vacaville, CAHomes around $602KCalifornia · 102,596 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 $1,010 more a month in Carson

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.

Carson$4,530/mo
Typical home $786K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.62% · or rent about $1,956/mo · Housing →
Vacaville$3,520/mo
Typical home $602K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $2,299/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,010 a month, about $12,100 a year, between Carson and Vacaville.

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

Vacaville places higher on 13 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.

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
CarsonVacaville
Snow a year0″0″
January low—40°F
July high—90°F
Growing season (days)—336d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)87th88th
Outdoors & history
CarsonVacaville
Trails3 mi50 mi
Conserved land2.6%13%
Settled19681852
National Register places—3
Archive photos117
Famous people born here4113
Community
CarsonVacaville
Library hours a week40 hrs63 hrs
Colleges in town1—
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

375 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Carson ↔ Vacaville375 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.

CarsonVacaville
People
Population 92,871Lowest 102,596Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.2%Lowest CA: +6.1% +10.8%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 41.7±1Highest 10% above CA 38.2±0.8Lowest about the CA average
Kids under 18 20.1%±1.3Lowest CA: 22% 21.9%±1.1Highest CA: 22%
Vacaville and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.5%±1.1Highest CA: 15.7% 15.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.3%Highest CA: 37.1% 28%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±0.8Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.3%±0.8Highest CA: 7.6%
Vacaville and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $108,703±$4kLowest 10% above CA $111,126±$3kHighest 12% above CA
Vacaville and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $704,400±$14kHighest 4% below CA $620,900±$7kLowest 15% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,956±$109Lowest 4% below CA $2,299±$74Highest 13% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,361Lowest 15% below CA $4,507Highest 12% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.9%±5.1Lowest CA: 55.3% 60.7%±4.1Highest CA: 55.3%
Vacaville and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.7%Highest CA: 12% 8.2%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 74%Highest CA: 55.9% 67.5%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than CA 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 4% below CA 28 minHighest about the CA average
Work from home 8.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 17.2% 12.4%±1.4Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 6.9%Lowest 21.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 25.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.29Highest 0.75Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (25%)Fairfield (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in VacavilleFew work in Carson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.6%Lowest 13%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 3.0 miLowest 49.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 1.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 15Lowest 40Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 88.0Highest 87.5Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #124 of 574 in CA#134 of 574 in CA
School district Magnolia Science Academy 3 District · Compton UnifiedTravis Unified · Vacaville Unified
High school in town Carson Senior HighVacaville High
Students per teacherat that high school 18.5Lowest 21.3Highest
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.

Carson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Carson’s Town Square.

Vacaville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Vacaville’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Carson and Vacaville

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Bordering Carson

Towns like Carson

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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