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

CExeterSafer than 25% of U.S. towns B+HoltvilleSafer than 73% of U.S. towns

Schools

B+ExeterBetter than 70% of districts in the state BHoltvilleBetter than 60% of districts in the state

Health

C+ExeterHealthier than 38% of U.S. towns C−HoltvilleHealthier than 24% of U.S. towns

9Exeter

8Holtville

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #680#184 SafestSafety · 411 towns #247#26 Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #186#12 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #602#739 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #603#740 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #129#5 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #648#762 Lowest property taxCost of living · 835 towns #138#22

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $280 more a month in Exeter

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%

Exeter$2,290/mo

Typical home $388K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $1,286/mo · Housing →

Holtville$2,010/mo

Typical home $357K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.45% · or rent about $861/mo · Housing →

The difference: $280 a month, about $3,400 a year, between Exeter and Holtville.

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

ExeterHoltville

Snow a year0″0″

January low37°F —

July high96°F —

Growing season (days)284d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)37th 91st

Outdoors & history

ExeterHoltville

Trails3 mi 1 mi

Conserved land3.2%3.1%

Settled—1908

National Register places1 —

Archive photos11 12

Famous people born here9 4

Community

ExeterHoltville

Library hours a week26 hrs 36 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

322 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ExeterCA HoltvilleCA

Exeter ↔ Holtville322 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

ExeterHoltville

People

Population 10,258Highest 5,617Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.1%Highest CA: +6.1% -5.6%Lowest CA: +6.1%

Median age 34.8±2.8Highest 8% below CA 34±6.3Lowest 10% below CA

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

Kids under 18 28.7%±4.8Lowest CA: 22% 31.2%±7.4Highest CA: 22%

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

Age 65+ 13.9%±2.5Lowest CA: 15.7% 17.6%±4.8Highest CA: 15.7%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.9%Lowest CA: 37.1% 16.6%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.3%±1.9Lowest CA: 7.6% 8.7%±4.1Highest CA: 7.6%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $75,769±$11kHighest 24% below CA $65,039±$27kLowest 34% below CA

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $307,600±$31kLowest 58% below CA $310,100±$46kHighest 58% below CA

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,286±$113Highest 37% below CA $861±$115Lowest 58% below CA

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,418Highest 53% below CA $1,410Lowest 72% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 44.2%±12.2Lowest CA: 55.3% 46.5%±20.7Highest CA: 55.3%

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

Below poverty line 14.2%Lowest CA: 12% 18.7%Highest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 54.7%Highest CA: 55.9% 49.9%Lowest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than CA 1976Lowest same as CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minHighest 28% below CA 18 minLowest 36% below CA

Work from home 3.4%±2Lowest CA: 17.2% 3.8%±4Highest CA: 17.2%

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

Work in townworking residents 11.7%Lowest 16.4%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miHighest 11.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.95Highest 0.48Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Visalia (27%)El Centro (17%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HoltvilleFew work in Exeter

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.2%Highest 3.1%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 2.6 miHighest 0.9 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.8 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 5Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 118Highest 107Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#240 of 574 in CA

School district Exeter UnifiedHoltville Unified

High school in town Exeter Union HighHoltville High

Students per teacherat that high school 24.0Highest 15.5Lowest

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.

Exeter neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Exeter’s Town Square.

Holtville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Holtville’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Exeter and Holtville

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

Towns like Exeter

+ Compare

Orland8,357 people · $342K homes

+ Compare

California City14,414 people · $278K homes

+ Compare

Susanville14,177 people · $236K homes

+ Compare

Waterford9,204 people · $402K 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.

Exeter vs Holtville

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Exeter places higher on 9 of 19 CA lists

A typical home costs $280 more a month in Exeter

What daily life feels like in each

322 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Exeter and Holtville

Towns like Exeter

Post to Exeter

Check your email