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

–EmpireNot graded C−Dos PalosSafer than 18% of U.S. towns

Schools

B−EmpireBetter than 48% of districts in the state CDos PalosBetter than 26% of districts in the state

Health

DEmpireHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns DDos PalosHealthier than 11% of U.S. towns

7Empire

10Dos Palos

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #632#81 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #493#93 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #162#426 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #685#477 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #800#616 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #420#568 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #619#756 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #796#730

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Dos Palos

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.

Down paymentRate%

Empire$1,870/mo

Typical home $335K (Census) · tax rate 0.40% · or rent about $1,238/mo · Housing →

Dos Palos$2,070/mo

Typical home $363K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $1,125/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,400 a year, between Dos Palos and Empire.

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

EmpireDos Palos

Snow a year0″0″

January low42°F 39°F

July high93°F 95°F

Growing season (days)351d 322d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)70th 84th

Outdoors & history

EmpireDos Palos

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land0.8%3%

Archive photos—3

Famous people born here—4

Community

EmpireDos Palos

Library hours a week30 hrs 19 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 1

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

48 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EmpireCA Dos PalosCA

Empire ↔ Dos Palos48 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.

Only big differences vs California average

EmpireDos Palos

People

Population 3,429Lowest 5,765Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.3%Lowest CA: +6.1% +17.1%Highest CA: +6.1%

Median age 41.1±8.4Highest 8% above CA 37±3.8Lowest about the CA average

Empire and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 19.6%±5.7Lowest CA: 22% 24.1%±7Highest CA: 22%

Dos Palos and Empire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 16.1%±4.7Lowest CA: 15.7% 21.8%±7.3Highest CA: 15.7%

Dos Palos and Empire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 7.7%Lowest CA: 37.1% 11.3%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.2%±2.3Lowest CA: 7.6% 5.8%±2.9Highest CA: 7.6%

Dos Palos and Empire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $52,563±$23kHighest 47% below CA $42,367±$17kLowest 57% below CA

Empire and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $335,200±$16kHighest 54% below CA $299,500±$37kLowest 59% below CA

Empire and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,238±$264Highest 39% below CA $1,125±$440Lowest 45% below CA

Empire and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,353Lowest 74% below CA $1,663Highest 68% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 72.2%±54.8Highest CA: 55.3% 31.1%±14.5Lowest CA: 55.3%

Empire and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 22.3%Highest CA: 12% 17.6%Lowest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 60.8%Highest CA: 55.9% 60.2%Lowest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than CA 1976Highest same as CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 21% below CA 28 minHighest about the CA average

Work from home 0%±1.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 7.3%±5.5Highest CA: 17.2%

Work in townworking residents 0.7%Lowest 19.8%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.8 miHighest 27.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.51Lowest 0.59Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Modesto (18%)Los Banos (9%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Dos PalosFew work in Empire

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Lowest 3%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 3Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 59.4Lowest 132Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#395 of 574 in CA

School district Empire Union Elementary · Stanislaus County Office of EducationDos Palos Oro Loma Joint Unified

High school in town Teel School in EmpireDos Palos High

Students per teacherat that high school 9.6Lowest 19.4Highest

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.

Empire neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Empire’s Town Square.

Dos Palos neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 1w

Dos Palos History

1 neighbor in Dos Palos can answer.

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Bordering Empire

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Modesto219,215 people · $443K homes

Towns like Empire

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Portola2,441 people · $231K homes

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Willows6,190 people · $282K 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.

Empire vs Dos Palos

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Dos Palos places higher on 10 of 18 CA lists

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Dos Palos

What daily life feels like in each

48 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Dos Palos History

Set another town beside Empire and Dos Palos

Bordering Empire

Towns like Empire

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