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

B−CotatiSafer than 50% of U.S. towns –McSwainNot graded

Schools

BCotatiBetter than 62% of districts in the state –McSwainNot graded

Health

A−CotatiHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns B−McSwainHealthier than 53% of U.S. towns

9Cotati

8McSwain

Lists won, of 17 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #140#735 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #343#686 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #762#420 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #161#495 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #463#180 HealthiestHealth · 844 towns #219#498 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #483#213 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #247#502

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $270 more a month in Cotati

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%

Cotati$4,250/mo

Typical home $726K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $2,056/mo · Housing →

McSwain$3,980/mo

Typical home $690K (Census) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $1,516/mo · Housing →

The difference: $270 a month, about $3,200 a year, between Cotati and McSwain.

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

CotatiMcSwain

Snow a year0″0″

January low39°F 37°F

July high81°F 95°F

Growing season (days)271d 263d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)94th 60th

Outdoors & history

CotatiMcSwain

Trails3 mi —

Conserved land3.5%—

Settled1963 —

National Register places—1

Archive photos3 —

Famous people born here2 —

Community

CotatiMcSwain

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

135 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CotatiCA McSwainCA

Cotati ↔ McSwain135 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

CotatiMcSwain

People

Population 7,489Highest 5,783Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.4%Lowest CA: +6.1% +7.4%Highest CA: +6.1%

Median age 38.5±2.6Highest about the CA average 33.8±5.4Lowest 11% below CA

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

Kids under 18 16.2%±3.6Lowest CA: 22% 30.8%±6.4Highest CA: 22%

Age 65+ 16%±3.8Highest CA: 15.7% 9.8%±2.2Lowest CA: 15.7%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 37.6%Highest CA: 37.1% 33.6%Lowest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.7%±2.4Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.8%±2.6Highest CA: 7.6%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $110,750±$19kLowest 12% above CA $139,131±$23kHighest 40% above CA

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $746,800±$49kHighest about the CA average $690,100±$49kLowest 6% below CA

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,056±$266Highest about the CA average $1,516±$695Lowest 26% below CA

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $5,514Highest 8% above CA $4,377Lowest 15% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.3%±8.9Highest CA: 55.3% 27.2%±9.3Lowest CA: 55.3%

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

Below poverty line 8.2%Lowest CA: 12% 17.1%Highest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 59.2%Lowest CA: 55.9% 73.8%Highest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1984Lowest 8 yrs newer than CA 1995Highest 19 yrs newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 29 minHighest about the CA average 23 minLowest 20% below CA

Work from home 15.2%±4.6Highest CA: 17.2% 5.5%±2.7Lowest CA: 17.2%

Work in townworking residents 4.5%Highest 1.7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 19.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.79Highest 0.34Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Santa Rosa (17%)Merced (20%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in McSwainFew work in Cotati

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.5%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 3.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 11Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 120Highest 22.0Lowest

Schools

School district Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified—

High school in town None in town—

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.

Cotati neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cotati’s Town Square.

McSwain neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to McSwain’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Cotati and McSwain

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

Bordering Cotati

+ Compare

Rohnert Park44,575 people · $666K homes

Towns like Cotati

+ Compare

Buellton5,074 people · $837K homes

+ Compare

Signal Hill11,468 people · $783K homes

+ Compare

Winters7,583 people · $634K homes

+ Compare

Healdsburg11,243 people · $950K 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.

Cotati vs McSwain

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Cotati places higher on 9 of 17 CA lists

A typical home costs $270 more a month in Cotati

What daily life feels like in each

135 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Cotati and McSwain

Bordering Cotati

Towns like Cotati

Post to Cotati

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