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Compare towns

Cypress vs Poway

82 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (31.4× in Poway) and street grid (4.8× in Cypress).

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Cypress, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 49,498 people
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Poway, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 48,713 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 differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Poway 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.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $800 more a month in Poway

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.

Cypress$6,200/mo
Typical home $1.07M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $2,483/mo · Housing →
Poway$7,000/mo
Typical home $1.21M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $2,301/mo · Housing →

The difference: $800 a month, about $9,600 a year, between Poway and Cypress.

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
CypressPoway
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th85th
Outdoors & history
CypressPoway
Conserved land2.1%26.9%
Archive photos2—
Famous people born here1225
Community
CypressPoway
Library hours a week28 hrs51 hrs
Colleges in town1—
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

82 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Cypress ↔ Poway82 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.

CypressPoway
People
Population 49,498Highest 48,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.9%Highest CA: +6.1% +2.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 41.4±1.1Highest 9% above CA 41.2±1.4Lowest 9% above CA
Cypress and Poway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.1%±1.8Lowest CA: 22% 23.5%±1.7Highest CA: 22%
Poway and Cypress are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.8%±1.3Lowest CA: 15.7% 19%±1.3Highest CA: 15.7%
Poway and Cypress are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 50.7%Lowest CA: 37.1% 54.2%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.6%±1Highest CA: 7.6% 5.9%±0.9Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cypress and Poway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $130,215±$8kLowest 31% above CA $148,359±$8kHighest 50% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $913,900±$19kLowest 24% above CA $1,034,800±$33kHighest 41% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,483±$104Highest 22% above CA $2,301±$112Lowest 13% above CA
Cypress and Poway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,066Lowest 18% above CA $6,843Highest 34% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.5%±5.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 55.7%±7.1Highest CA: 55.3%
Poway and Cypress are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.6%Highest CA: 12% 5.6%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.1%Lowest CA: 55.9% 75.2%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than CA 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minHighest about the CA average 25 minLowest 12% below CA
Work from home 20.2%±2.4Lowest CA: 17.2% 23.9%±2.5Highest CA: 17.2%
Poway and Cypress are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.7%Lowest 11.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 12.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.01Lowest 1.46Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (10%)San Diego (49%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PowayFew work in Cypress
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.1%Lowest 26.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 3.5 miLowest 110.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miLowest 2.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 19Highest 17Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 147Highest 30.7Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #84 of 574 in CA#156 of 574 in CA
School district Anaheim Union High · Cypress ElementaryPoway Unified
High school in town Cypress HighPoway High
Students per teacherat that high school 26.9Highest 21.5Lowest
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.

Cypress neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

Supporting Local Businesses

1 neighbor in Cypress can answer.

Poway neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Poway’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Cypress

Towns like Cypress

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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