What stands out worked out from the figures below

Croydon has the most homeowners (86.6%).

Whiting has the most people working from home (10%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Croydon	Whiting
People
Population	798Highest	532Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43±9.1Highest 11% above U.S.	39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average
	Croydon and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Whiting and Croydon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	25.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Whiting and Croydon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$98,333±$21kHighest 22% above U.S.	$91,250±$38kLowest 13% above U.S.
	Croydon and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$317,300±$33kHighest 5% below U.S.	$280,400±$36kLowest 16% below U.S.
	Croydon and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$991±$336Lowest 30% below U.S.	$1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S.
	Whiting and Croydon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,806Lowest 22% above U.S.	$4,227Highest 36% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	7.1%±75.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Whiting and Croydon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	5.3%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Whiting and Croydon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Croydon School District	Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.