Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Corning vs Waterford

176 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+69% in Waterford) and property tax bill (+82% in Waterford).

×
Corning, CAHomes around $300KCalifornia · 8,155 people
×
Waterford, CAHomes around $428KCalifornia · 9,204 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 $810 more a month in Waterford

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.

Corning$1,710/mo
Typical home $300K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.55% · or rent about $961/mo · Housing →
Waterford$2,520/mo
Typical home $428K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $1,620/mo · Housing →

The difference: $810 a month, about $9,700 a year, between Waterford and Corning.

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

Waterford places higher on 13 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
CorningWaterford
Snow a year0″0″
January low38°F42°F
July high94°F93°F
Growing season (days)279d351d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)79th72nd
Outdoors & history
CorningWaterford
Trails3 mi2 mi
Conserved land1.2%2.1%
Settled19071969
National Register places1—
Archive photos163
Famous people born here6—
Community
CorningWaterford
Library hours a week29 hrs31 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

176 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Corning ↔ Waterford176 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.

CorningWaterford
People
Population 8,155Lowest 9,204Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.6%Lowest CA: +6.1% +7.9%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 31.3±2.4Lowest 17% below CA 31.7±4Highest 16% below CA
Waterford and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 31.7%±4.8Highest CA: 22% 27.7%±4.7Lowest CA: 22%
Corning and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.1%±2.6Highest CA: 15.7% 8%±1.9Lowest CA: 15.7%
Corning and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.5%Highest CA: 37.1% 9.8%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±2.3Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.4%±2.5Highest CA: 7.6%
Waterford and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $56,627±$9kLowest 43% below CA $74,343±$19kHighest 25% below CA
Waterford and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $313,100±$22kLowest 57% below CA $402,200±$20kHighest 45% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $961±$182Lowest 53% below CA $1,620±$166Highest 20% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,729Lowest 66% below CA $3,142Highest 39% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.7%±12Highest CA: 55.3% 41.6%±12.8Lowest CA: 55.3%
Corning and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.9%Highest CA: 12% 13.9%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 52.2%Lowest CA: 55.9% 55.8%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than CA 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 37% below CA 28 minHighest 4% below CA
Work from home 7%±3.7Highest CA: 17.2% 4.8%±2.4Lowest CA: 17.2%
Corning and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 14.7%Highest 4.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miHighest 14.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.71Highest 0.23Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Chico (12%)Modesto (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WaterfordFew work in Corning
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.2%Lowest 2.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 3.0 miHighest 1.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.6Highest 81.0Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #451 of 574 in CA#199 of 574 in CA
School district Corning Union Elementary · Corning Union HighWaterford Unified
High school in town Corning Union HighWaterford High
Students per teacherat that high school 18.0Lowest 19.2Highest
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.

Corning neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Best Coffee in Corning

1 neighbor in Corning can answer.

Waterford neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Waterford’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Corning and Waterford

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

Towns like Corning

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.

Post to Corning

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in