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Compare towns

Etna vs Mariposa

315 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6.2× in Etna) and street grid (3.5× in Etna).

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Etna, CAHomes around $281KCalifornia · 642 people
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Mariposa, CAA regional job hubCalifornia · 1,137 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.

EtnaHomes around $281K
Housing$281K typical home63% below the CA typical home Work279 jobsbased in Etna, a regional job hub All about Etna →
MariposaA regional job hub
Work2,510 jobsbased in Mariposa, a regional job hub Housing$391K typical home49% below the CA typical home All about Mariposa →
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.

Trails6.2×
Etna has more miles of trail
Etna 8.0 miMariposa 1.3 mi
Street grid3.5×
Etna has the more walkable street grid
Etna 105Mariposa 29.6
Growth since 2010+21.8 pts
Etna has grown faster since 2010
Etna -8%Mariposa -29.8%
Rent+45%
Rent runs higher in Etna
Etna $859Mariposa $593
Jobs per worker2.8×
Mariposa is more of a job hub
Mariposa 4.51Etna 1.59
Average commute13 min
Etna has the shorter commute
Mariposa 35 minEtna 22 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,000 more a month in Mariposa

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.

Etna$1,640/mo
Typical home $281K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.70% · or rent about $859/mo · Housing →
Mariposa$2,640/mo
Typical home $391K (Zillow) · tax rate est. 1.8% · or rent about $593/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,000 a month, about $12,000 a year, between Mariposa and Etna.

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 B−MariposaBetter than 50% of districts in the state
Health
–EtnaNot graded B−MariposaHealthier than 50% of U.S. towns
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
EtnaMariposa
Snow a year4″—
January low28°F—
July high90°F—
Growing season (days)135d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)99th90th
Outdoors & history
EtnaMariposa
Trails8 mi1 mi
Conserved land2.4%7%
Settled1878—
National Register places—4
Archive photos7—
Community
EtnaMariposa
Library hours a week26 hrs48 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

315 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EtnaCAMariposaCA
Etna ↔ Mariposa315 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.

EtnaMariposa
People
Population 642Lowest 1,137Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8%Highest CA: +6.1% -29.8%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 48.7±11.5Lowest 28% above CA 59±11.8Highest 56% above CA
Mariposa and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 12.9%±9.3 CA: 22% 12.9%±7 CA: 22%
Age 65+ 28.2%±6.7Lowest CA: 15.7% 41.6%±10.1Highest CA: 15.7%
Mariposa and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.2%Lowest CA: 37.1% 38%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.6%±4Highest CA: 7.6% 2.2%±3.1Lowest CA: 7.6%
Etna and Mariposa 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 $40,772±$20kLowest 59% below CA
Etna and Mariposa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $221,200±$50kLowest 70% below CA $270,900±$110kHighest 63% below CA
Mariposa and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $859±$132Highest 58% below CA $593±$131Lowest 71% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,544 70% below CA —
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 70.3%±16.9Highest CA: 55.3% 58.1%±16.2Lowest CA: 55.3%
Etna and Mariposa are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 18%Lowest CA: 12% 37.1%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 61.2%Highest CA: 55.9% 50.6%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than CA 1975Highest 1 yr older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 24% below CA 35 minHighest 21% above CA
Work from home 4.1%±4.9Lowest CA: 17.2% 8%±10Highest CA: 17.2%
Mariposa 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 19.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 43.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.59Lowest 4.51Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Yreka (14%)Yosemite Valley (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MariposaFew work in Etna
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.4%Lowest 7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 8.0 miHighest 1.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 10.0 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 105Highest 29.6Lowest
Schools
School district Scott Valley UnifiedMariposa County Unified
High school in town Etna Union HighMariposa County High
Students per teacherat that high school 13.0Lowest 16.3Highest
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.

Mariposa neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mariposa’s Town Square.

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Towns like Etna

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Tehama366 people · $319K homes
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Fort Jones562 people · $229K homes
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Dorris869 people · $155K 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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