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Etna vs Dorris

61 miles apart. The biggest differences: kids under 18 (+18.1 pts in Dorris) and home values (+43% in Etna).

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Etna, CAHomes around $281KCalifornia · 642 people

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Dorris, CAHomes around $140KCalifornia · 869 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.

EtnaHomes around $281K

Housing$281K typical home63% below the CA typical home Work279 jobsbased in Etna, a regional job hub All about Etna →

DorrisHomes around $140K

Housing$140K typical home82% below the CA typical home SchoolsBetter than 7%of CA districts All about Dorris →

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.

Kids under 18+18.1 pts

Dorris has more kids

Dorris 31%Etna 12.9%

Home values+43%

Homes cost more in Etna

Etna $221,200Dorris $154,700

Property tax bill+44%

Tax bills are bigger in Etna

Etna $1,544Dorris $1,069

Bachelor’s degree++12.2 pts

More adults in Etna have a degree

Etna 30.2%Dorris 18%

Jobs per worker+62%

Etna is more of a job hub

Etna 1.59Dorris 0.98

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $820 more a month in Etna

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%

Etna$1,640/mo

Typical home $281K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.70% · or rent about $859/mo · Housing →

Dorris$810/mo

Typical home $140K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $746/mo · Housing →

The difference: $820 a month, about $9,900 a year, between Etna and Dorris.

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

Grades and rankings, side by side

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.

Schools

BEtnaBetter than 57% of districts in the state DDorrisBetter than 7% of districts in the state

Life in each

Dorris gets 48 more inches of snow a year

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

EtnaDorris

Snow a year4″52″

January low28°F 21°F

July high90°F 88°F

Growing season (days)135d 107d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)99th 73rd

Outdoors & history

EtnaDorris

Trails8 mi —

Conserved land2.4%—

Settled1878 1908

Archive photos7 10

Community

EtnaDorris

Library hours a week26 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 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

61 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EtnaCA DorrisCA

Etna ↔ Dorris61 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

EtnaDorris

People

Population 642Lowest 869Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8%Highest CA: +6.1% -8.4%Lowest CA: +6.1%

Median age 48.7±11.5Highest 28% above CA 36.6±9Lowest 3% below CA

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

Kids under 18 12.9%±9.3Lowest CA: 22% 31%±3.1Highest CA: 22%

Age 65+ 28.2%±6.7Highest CA: 15.7% 21.4%±9.7Lowest CA: 15.7%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.2%Highest CA: 37.1% 18%Lowest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.6%±4Highest CA: 7.6% 5.3%±2.3Lowest CA: 7.6%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $49,063±$24kHighest 51% below CA $41,563±$23kLowest 58% below CA

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $221,200±$50kHighest 70% below CA $154,700±$13kLowest 79% below CA

Rentmedian gross, monthly $859±$132Highest 58% below CA $746±$147Lowest 63% below CA

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,544Highest 70% below CA $1,069Lowest 79% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 70.3%±16.9Highest CA: 55.3% 54.4%±16.2Lowest CA: 55.3%

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

Below poverty line 18%Lowest CA: 12% 19.1%Highest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 61.2%Highest CA: 55.9% 57.4%Lowest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1961Highest 15 yrs older than CA 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 24% below CA 20 minLowest 32% below CA

Work from home 4.1%±4.9Lowest CA: 17.2% 14.4%±9.2Highest CA: 17.2%

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

Work in townworking residents 14.8%Lowest 15.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 40.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.59Highest 0.98Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Yreka (14%)Medford (6%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DorrisFew work in Etna

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.4%Highest 0.8%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 8.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 10.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 105Highest 102Lowest

Schools

School district Scott Valley UnifiedButte Valley Unified

High school in town Etna Union HighButte Valley High

Students per teacherat that high school 13.0Lowest 13.6Highest

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.

Etna neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 6d

Missing Local Spots

1 neighbor in Etna can answer.

Dorris neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dorris’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Etna and Dorris

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Towns like Etna

Dunsmuir1,407 people · $279K homes

Tehama366 people · $319K homes

Fort Jones562 people · $229K homes

Blue Lake982 people · $445K 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.