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Empire vs Rio Dell

262 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4× in Empire) and work from home (+14.2 pts in Rio Dell).

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Empire, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 3,429 people

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Rio Dell, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 3,349 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.

EmpireOne of the healthiest towns

Health93% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Empire →

Rio DellKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 28%of CA districts Housing$301K typical home61% below the CA typical home Health85% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Rio Dell →

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.

Empire has more miles of trail

Empire 0.4 miRio Dell 0.1 mi

Work from home+14.2 pts

More people work from home in Rio Dell

Rio Dell 14.2%Empire 0%

Jobs per worker2.2×

Empire is more of a job hub

Empire 0.51Rio Dell 0.23

Property tax bill+21%

Tax bills are bigger in Rio Dell

Rio Dell $1,637Empire $1,353

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $150 more a month in Empire

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 →

Rio Dell$1,720/mo

Typical home $301K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.54% · or rent about $1,042/mo · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,900 a year, between Empire and Rio Dell.

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

Rio Dell places higher on 10 of 17 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

–EmpireNot graded CRio DellSafer than 31% of U.S. towns

Schools

B−EmpireBetter than 48% of districts in the state CRio DellBetter than 28% of districts in the state

Health

DEmpireHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns C−Rio DellHealthier than 15% of U.S. towns

7Empire

10Rio Dell

Lists won, of 17 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #443#52 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #420#836 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #692#397 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #619#342 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #776#603 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #804#696 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #162#78 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #106#34

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

EmpireRio Dell

Snow a year0″1″

January low42°F 38°F

July high93°F 73°F

Growing season (days)351d 264d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)70th 100th

Outdoors & history

EmpireRio Dell

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land0.8%0.4%

Settled—1965

Archive photos—15

Community

EmpireRio Dell

Library hours a week30 hrs 15 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

262 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EmpireCA Rio DellCA

Empire ↔ Rio Dell262 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

EmpireRio Dell

People

Population 3,429Highest 3,349Lowest

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

Median age 41.1±8.4Highest 8% above CA 35.2±7Lowest 7% below CA

Empire and Rio Dell 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% 26.5%±7.8Highest CA: 22%

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

Age 65+ 16.1%±4.7Highest CA: 15.7% 15.7%±6.5Lowest CA: 15.7%

Empire and Rio Dell 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% 10.7%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.2%±2.3Lowest CA: 7.6% 3.8%±3Highest CA: 7.6%

Rio Dell 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 $42,753±$14kLowest 57% below CA

Empire and Rio Dell 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 $301,700±$53kLowest 59% below CA

Empire and Rio Dell 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 $1,042±$127Lowest 49% below CA

Empire and Rio Dell 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 $1,637Highest 68% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 72.2%±54.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 85.8%±18Highest CA: 55.3%

Rio Dell and Empire 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% 56.8%Lowest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than CA 1977Highest 1 yr newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 21% below CA 20 minLowest 31% below CA

Work from home 0%±1.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 14.2%±12.3Highest CA: 17.2%

Work in townworking residents 0.7%Lowest 6.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.8 miHighest 19.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.51Highest 0.23Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Modesto (18%)Eureka (21%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Rio DellFew work in Empire

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Highest 0.4%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 59.4Highest 58.0Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#490 of 574 in CA

School district Empire Union Elementary · Stanislaus County Office of EducationRio Dell Elementary

High school in town Teel School in EmpireNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 9.6 —

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.

Rio Dell neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rio Dell’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Empire and Rio Dell

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Empire

Modesto219,215 people · $443K homes

Towns like Empire

Portola2,441 people · $231K homes

Gustine6,133 people · $442K homes

Dos Palos5,765 people · $300K homes

Willows6,190 people · $282K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.