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Compare towns

Compton vs Madera

237 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (5.6× in Madera) and property tax bill (+90% in Compton).

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Compton, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 92,698 people
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Madera, CAHomes around $426KCalifornia · 67,831 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 $1,290 more a month in Compton

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.

Compton$3,750/mo
Typical home $638K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $1,664/mo · Housing →
Madera$2,460/mo
Typical home $426K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $1,353/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,290 a month, about $15,500 a year, between Compton and Madera.

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

Madera places higher on 12 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.

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
ComptonMadera
Snow a year0″0″
January low—38°F
July high—96°F
Growing season (days)—281d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)91st80th
Outdoors & history
ComptonMadera
Trails1 mi6 mi
Conserved land1.3%2.5%
Settled—1876
National Register places11
Archive photos59
Famous people born here5928
Community
ComptonMadera
Library hours a week40 hrs41 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

237 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Compton ↔ Madera237 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.

ComptonMadera
People
Population 92,698Highest 67,831Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.7%Lowest CA: +6.1% +7.8%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 33.3±1.1Highest 12% below CA 30.4±0.7Lowest 20% below CA
Kids under 18 27.3%±1.5Lowest CA: 22% 30.8%±1.6Highest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 10.7%±0.8Highest CA: 15.7% 9.6%±0.9Lowest CA: 15.7%
Compton and Madera are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 10.6%Lowest CA: 37.1% 10.9%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6%±0.6Lowest CA: 7.6% 8.1%±1.1Highest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $78,465±$4kHighest 21% below CA $63,933±$5kLowest 36% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $580,200±$10kHighest 21% below CA $359,900±$9kLowest 51% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,664±$62Highest 18% below CA $1,353±$58Lowest 34% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,358Highest 15% below CA $2,295Lowest 55% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.5%±4.1Lowest CA: 55.3% 60.3%±4.9Highest CA: 55.3%
Madera and Compton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.9%Lowest CA: 12% 25.6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 56.4%Highest CA: 55.9% 54.7%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1957Lowest 19 yrs older than CA 1991Highest 15 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 6% above CA 26 minLowest 10% below CA
Work from home 5%±1Lowest CA: 17.2% 6.9%±1.4Highest CA: 17.2%
Madera and Compton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.8%Lowest 27.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miLowest 18.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.76Lowest 0.84Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (24%)Fresno (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MaderaFew work in Compton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.3%Lowest 2.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.0 miLowest 5.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 13Highest 9Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 133Highest 86.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#495 of 574 in CA
School district Compton Unified ROP · KIPP Compton Community DistrictSherman Thomas STEM Academy District · Madera Unified
High school in town Manuel Dominguez HighMatilda Torres High
Students per teacherat that high school 21.9Highest 20.5Lowest
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.

Compton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Compton’s Town Square.

Madera neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Madera’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Compton and Madera

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

Bordering Compton

Towns like Compton

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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