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Downey vs Escondido

82 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.2× in Escondido) and conserved land (+21.1 pts in Escondido).

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Downey, CAHometown of 64 notable peopleCalifornia · 110,939 people
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Escondido, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 149,668 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

Escondido places higher on 14 of 23 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 $200 more a month in Downey

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.

Downey$5,100/mo
Typical home $879K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $1,937/mo · Housing →
Escondido$4,900/mo
Typical home $842K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $2,046/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,400 a year, between Downey and Escondido.

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
DowneyEscondido
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)83rd78th
Outdoors & history
DowneyEscondido
Conserved land4.4%25.5%
Settled18731888
National Register places25
Archive photos2412
Famous people born here6452
Community
DowneyEscondido
Library hours a week54 hrs58 hrs
Colleges in town—2
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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.

Downey ↔ Escondido82 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.

DowneyEscondido
People
Population 110,939Lowest 149,668Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.3%Lowest CA: +6.1% +5%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 37.7±1.2Highest about the CA average 36.9±0.7Lowest about the CA average
Downey and Escondido are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.3%±1.2Lowest CA: 22% 22.7%±1Highest CA: 22%
Escondido and Downey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.2%±0.9Lowest CA: 15.7% 14.4%±0.8Highest CA: 15.7%
Escondido and Downey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.1%Lowest CA: 37.1% 28.9%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.3%±0.7Highest CA: 7.6% 7%±0.6Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $90,699±$4kLowest 8% below CA $91,967±$4kHighest 7% below CA
Escondido and Downey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $796,600±$15kHighest 8% above CA $714,500±$20kLowest about the CA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,937±$41Lowest 5% below CA $2,046±$61Highest about the CA average
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,323Highest 4% above CA $4,898Lowest 4% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.9%±4.2Lowest CA: 55.3% 62.2%±3.4Highest CA: 55.3%
Escondido and Downey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9%Lowest CA: 12% 12.2%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 51.1%Lowest CA: 55.9% 53.4%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than CA 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 8% above CA 28 minLowest 4% below CA
Work from home 9.2%±1.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 13.9%±1.2Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 8.7%Lowest 17.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.8 miLowest 14.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.88Highest 0.76Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (22%)San Diego (24%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in EscondidoFew work in Downey
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.4%Lowest 25.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 12.6 miLowest 52.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miLowest 1.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 13Lowest 16Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 129Highest 76.4Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#200 of 574 in CA
School district Los Angeles County ROP · Downey UnifiedCommunity Montessori District · Classical Academy District
High school in town Downey HighSan Pasqual High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.9Highest 20.3Lowest
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.

Downey neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Downey’s Town Square.

Escondido neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Escondido’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Downey

Towns like Downey

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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