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

C+ColusaSafer than 35% of U.S. towns A−WheatlandSafer than 84% of U.S. towns

Schools

B−ColusaBetter than 45% of districts in the state BWheatlandBetter than 61% of districts in the state

Health

CColusaHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns B−WheatlandHealthier than 51% of U.S. towns

8Colusa

12Wheatland

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #180#741 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #77#642 SafestSafety · 411 towns #173#4 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #733#432 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #645#328 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #537#791 Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #211#12 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #624#410

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $550 more a month in Wheatland

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.

Down paymentRate%

Colusa$2,140/mo

Typical home $372K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $1,132/mo · Housing →

Wheatland$2,680/mo

Typical home $456K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $1,264/mo · Housing →

The difference: $550 a month, about $6,600 a year, between Wheatland and Colusa.

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

ColusaWheatland

Snow a year0″0″

January low38°F —

July high92°F —

Growing season (days)293d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)56th 64th

Outdoors & history

ColusaWheatland

Trails7 mi 16 mi

Conserved land13.5%0.3%

Settled1850 —

National Register places3 1

Archive photos12 3

Famous people born here8 —

Community

ColusaWheatland

Library hours a week40 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

35 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColusaCA WheatlandCA

Colusa ↔ Wheatland35 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.

Only big differences vs California average

ColusaWheatland

People

Population 6,505Highest 3,876Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.4% CA: +6.1% +7.4% CA: +6.1%

Median age 38.1±3.7Lowest about the CA average 38.3±7.7Highest about the CA average

Wheatland and Colusa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 30.2%±4.7Highest CA: 22% 28.6%±7Lowest CA: 22%

Colusa and Wheatland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 17.4%±3.3Highest CA: 15.7% 15.8%±4.8Lowest CA: 15.7%

Colusa and Wheatland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.8%Lowest CA: 37.1% 21.6%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±1.6Lowest CA: 7.6% 5.1%±3.3Highest CA: 7.6%

Wheatland and Colusa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $71,250±$11kLowest 28% below CA $83,452±$21kHighest 16% below CA

Wheatland and Colusa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $375,000±$29kLowest 49% below CA $429,200±$25kHighest 42% below CA

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,132±$74Lowest 44% below CA $1,264±$439Highest 38% below CA

Wheatland and Colusa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,210Lowest 57% below CA $3,346Highest 35% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 68.4%±14.9Highest CA: 55.3% 37.2%±13.9Lowest CA: 55.3%

Below poverty line 18.1%Highest CA: 12% 11.2%Lowest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 59.9%Lowest CA: 55.9% 63.5%Highest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than CA 1996Highest 20 yrs newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 31% below CA 32 minHighest 12% above CA

Work from home 4%±3Lowest CA: 17.2% 12.3%±9.3Highest CA: 17.2%

Wheatland and Colusa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 25.2%Highest 6.3%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miLowest 21.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.93Highest 0.45Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Williams (7%)Sacramento (9%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WheatlandFew work in Colusa

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 13.5%Highest 0.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 7.1 miLowest 15.6 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miLowest 1.9 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 9Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 52.2Highest 13.8Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #248 of 574 in CA #208 of 574 in CA

School district Colusa UnifiedWheatland · Wheatland Union High

High school in town Colusa HighWheatland Union High

Students per teacherat that high school 20.0Lowest 20.4Highest

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.

Colusa neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colusa’s Town Square.

Wheatland neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wheatland’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Colusa

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Dos Palos5,765 people · $300K 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.

Colusa vs Wheatland

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Wheatland places higher on 12 of 21 CA lists

A typical home costs $550 more a month in Wheatland

What daily life feels like in each

35 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Colusa and Wheatland

Towns like Colusa

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