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Dos Palos vs Colusa

170 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (71× in Colusa) and household income (+68% in Colusa).

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Dos Palos, CAHomes around $363KCalifornia · 5,765 people
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Colusa, CAHomes around $372KCalifornia · 6,505 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 · Report cards

Colusa places higher on 14 of 21 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 about the same each month

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.

Dos Palos$2,070/mo
Typical home $363K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $1,125/mo · Housing →
Colusa$2,140/mo
Typical home $372K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $1,132/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $800 a year, between Colusa and Dos Palos.

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
Dos PalosColusa
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F38°F
July high95°F92°F
Growing season (days)322d293d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)84th56th
Outdoors & history
Dos PalosColusa
Trails0 mi7 mi
Conserved land3%13.5%
Settled—1850
National Register places—3
Archive photos36
Famous people born here48
Community
Dos PalosColusa
Library hours a week19 hrs40 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

170 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Dos Palos ↔ Colusa170 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.

Dos PalosColusa
People
Population 5,765Lowest 6,505Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +17.1%Highest CA: +6.1% +7.4%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 37±3.8Lowest about the CA average 38.1±3.7Highest about the CA average
Colusa and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.1%±7Lowest CA: 22% 30.2%±4.7Highest CA: 22%
Colusa and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.8%±7.3Highest CA: 15.7% 17.4%±3.3Lowest CA: 15.7%
Dos Palos and Colusa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.3%Lowest CA: 37.1% 15.8%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.8%±2.9Highest CA: 7.6% 3.6%±1.6Lowest CA: 7.6%
Dos Palos and Colusa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $42,367±$17kLowest 57% below CA $71,250±$11kHighest 28% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $299,500±$37kLowest 59% below CA $375,000±$29kHighest 49% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,125±$440Lowest 45% below CA $1,132±$74Highest 44% below CA
Colusa and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,663Lowest 68% below CA $2,210Highest 57% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 31.1%±14.5Lowest CA: 55.3% 68.4%±14.9Highest CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 17.6%Lowest CA: 12% 18.1%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 60.2%Highest CA: 55.9% 59.9%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest same as CA 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest about the CA average 20 minLowest 31% below CA
Work from home 7.3%±5.5Highest CA: 17.2% 4%±3Lowest CA: 17.2%
Dos Palos and Colusa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 19.8%Lowest 25.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.3 miHighest 13.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Lowest 0.93Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Banos (9%)Williams (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ColusaFew work in Dos Palos
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3%Lowest 13.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 7.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 1.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 9Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 132Highest 52.2Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #395 of 574 in CA#248 of 574 in CA
School district Dos Palos Oro Loma Joint UnifiedColusa Unified
High school in town Dos Palos HighColusa High
Students per teacherat that high school 19.4Lowest 20.0Highest
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.

Dos Palos neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Dos Palos History

1 neighbor in Dos Palos can answer.

Colusa neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colusa’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Dos Palos

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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