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Compare towns

Durham vs Morro Bay

299 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (12.8× in Morro Bay) and rent (+68% in Morro Bay).

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Durham, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 5,340 people
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Morro Bay, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 10,692 people
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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.

DurhamKnown for its schools
Schools#151 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 69%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$601K typical home21% below the CA typical home All about Durham →
Morro BayKnown for its schools
Schools#168 for schools in CAof 574 towns Outdoors#123 most conserved land in CA16 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 82%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Morro Bay →
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.

Street grid12.8×
Morro Bay has the more walkable street grid
Morro Bay 44.7Durham 3.5
Rent+68%
Rent runs higher in Morro Bay
Morro Bay $1,858Durham $1,105
Property tax bill+39%
Tax bills are bigger in Morro Bay
Morro Bay $5,999Durham $4,304
Home values+31%
Homes cost more in Morro Bay
Morro Bay $918,200Durham $700,100
Conserved land+17.2 pts
Morro Bay has more conserved land
Morro Bay 19.5%Durham 2.3%
Seasonal homes+13.7 pts
Morro Bay has more second homes
Morro Bay 15.2%Durham 1.5%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,950 more a month in Morro Bay

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.

Durham$3,460/mo
Typical home $601K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.61% · or rent about $1,105/mo · Housing →
Morro Bay$5,410/mo
Typical home $934K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $1,858/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,950 a month, about $23,400 a year, between Morro Bay and Durham.

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.

Report cards

Morro Bay places higher on 13 of 20 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.

Safety
–DurhamNot graded B−Morro BaySafer than 50% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+DurhamBetter than 65% of districts in the state A−Morro BayBetter than 81% of districts in the state
Health
B+DurhamHealthier than 69% of U.S. towns A−Morro BayHealthier than 82% of U.S. towns
6Durham
13Morro Bay

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #616#245 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #528#123 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #54#394 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #762#420 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #838#586 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #788#546 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #456#247 Lowest property taxCost of living · 835 towns #384#571

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

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
DurhamMorro Bay
Snow a year0″0″
January low38°F46°F
July high94°F67°F
Growing season (days)279d365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th77th
Outdoors & history
DurhamMorro Bay
Trails25 mi16 mi
Conserved land2.3%19.5%
Settled—1870
National Register places21
Archive photos73
Famous people born here21
Community
DurhamMorro Bay
Library hours a week21 hrs39 hrs
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

299 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DurhamCAMorro BayCA
Durham ↔ Morro Bay299 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.

DurhamMorro Bay
People
Population 5,340Lowest 10,692Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.7%Highest CA: +6.1% +5.1%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 50.8±6Lowest 34% above CA 54.3±2.8Highest 43% above CA
Morro Bay and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18.1%±3.9Highest CA: 22% 12%±2.4Lowest CA: 22%
Durham and Morro Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 27.4%±3.9Lowest CA: 15.7% 32.6%±3.9Highest CA: 15.7%
Morro Bay and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 40.4%Lowest CA: 37.1% 48.5%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.2%±6.2Highest CA: 7.6% 5.4%±1.9Lowest CA: 7.6%
Durham and Morro Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $95,417±$29kLowest 4% below CA $95,843±$6kHighest 3% below CA
Morro Bay and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $700,100±$127kLowest 5% below CA $918,200±$49kHighest 25% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,105±$82Lowest 46% below CA $1,858±$93Highest 9% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,304Lowest 16% below CA $5,999Highest 17% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.1%±29.7Lowest CA: 55.3% 49.5%±10Highest CA: 55.3%
Morro Bay and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.2%Highest CA: 12% 8.4%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 70.9%Highest CA: 55.9% 65.4%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest same as CA 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 37% below CA 20 minHighest 31% below CA
Work from home 16.8%±9Lowest CA: 17.2% 21.7%±6.6Highest CA: 17.2%
Morro Bay and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12.2%Lowest 18.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 14.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.00Highest 0.74Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Chico (39%)San Luis Obispo (20%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Morro BayFew work in Durham
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.3%Lowest 19.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 24.6 miHighest 15.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 1.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 15Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.5Lowest 44.7Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #151 of 574 in CA#168 of 574 in CA
School district Durham UnifiedSan Luis Coastal Unified
High school in town Durham HighMorro Bay High
Students per teacherat that high school 16.4Lowest 17.8Highest
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.

Durham neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Durham’s Town Square.

Morro Bay neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Morro Bay’s Town Square.

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Set another town beside Durham and Morro Bay

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Bordering Durham

+ Compare
Chico102,188 people · $468K homes

Towns like Durham

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Big Bear Lake5,041 people · $577K homes
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Solvang6,034 people · $950K homes
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Ojai7,577 people · $1.02M homes
+ Compare
Bishop3,778 people · $386K homes

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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