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Escondido vs Downey

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

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

Escondido$4,900/mo
Typical home $842K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $2,046/mo · Housing →
Downey$5,100/mo
Typical home $879K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $1,937/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
EscondidoDowney
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)78th83rd
Outdoors & history
EscondidoDowney
Conserved land25.5%4.4%
Settled18881873
National Register places52
Archive photos1224
Famous people born here5264
Community
EscondidoDowney
Library hours a week58 hrs54 hrs
Colleges in town2—
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.

Escondido ↔ Downey82 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.

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

Escondido neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Escondido’s Town Square.

Downey neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Downey’s Town Square.

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Bordering Escondido

Towns like Escondido

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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