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Compare towns

Fowler vs Live Oak

213 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (3.1× in Fowler) and growth since 2010 (+11.8 pts in Fowler).

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Fowler, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 7,094 people
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Live Oak, CAHomes around $390KCalifornia · 9,347 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 · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $530 more a month in Fowler

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.

Fowler$2,770/mo
Typical home $471K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.77% · or rent about $1,218/mo · Housing →
Live Oak$2,240/mo
Typical home $390K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $1,014/mo · Housing →

The difference: $530 a month, about $6,400 a year, between Fowler and Live Oak.

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.

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
FowlerLive Oak
Snow a year0″0″
January low41°F38°F
July high98°F92°F
Growing season (days)337d293d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)44th36th
Outdoors & history
FowlerLive Oak
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land0.5%3.6%
Settled19081947
National Register places—1
Archive photos26
Community
FowlerLive Oak
Library hours a week39 hrs12 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined11

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

213 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Fowler ↔ Live Oak213 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.

FowlerLive Oak
People
Population 7,094Lowest 9,347Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +20.3%Highest CA: +6.1% +8.5%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 33.5±5.1Lowest 12% below CA 35.4±3.5Highest 7% below CA
Live Oak and Fowler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.7%±4.9Highest CA: 22% 29.2%±5.1Lowest CA: 22%
Fowler and Live Oak are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11%±2.8Lowest CA: 15.7% 15%±3Highest CA: 15.7%
Live Oak and Fowler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.5%Highest CA: 37.1% 15.7%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 12.6%±3.3Highest CA: 7.6% 3.7%±1.7Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $66,983±$21kLowest 32% below CA $73,571±$14kHighest 26% below CA
Live Oak and Fowler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $379,800±$26kHighest 48% below CA $350,700±$25kLowest 52% below CA
Fowler and Live Oak are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,218±$124Highest 40% below CA $1,014±$393Lowest 50% below CA
Fowler and Live Oak are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,919Highest 43% below CA $2,068Lowest 60% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.7%±15.2Lowest CA: 55.3% 51.5%±13.7Highest CA: 55.3%
Live Oak and Fowler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 19.3%Highest CA: 12% 17.4%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.7%Lowest CA: 55.9% 69.1%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1990Lowest 14 yrs newer than CA 1995Highest 19 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 24% below CA 28 minHighest about the CA average
Work from home 5.5%±3.4Lowest CA: 17.2% 10.5%±5.8Highest CA: 17.2%
Live Oak and Fowler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.3%Highest 7.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 32.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.01Highest 0.33Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Fresno (35%)Yuba City (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Live OakFew work in Fowler
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.5%Lowest 3.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 1.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 107Highest 79.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #247 of 574 in CA#517 of 574 in CA
School district Fowler UnifiedLive Oak Unified
High school in town Fowler HighLive Oak High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.1Highest 19.5Lowest
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.

Fowler neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

Perfect Day in Fowler

1 neighbor in Fowler can answer.

Live Oak neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

Discovering Hidden Gems

1 neighbor in Live Oak can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Fowler and Live Oak

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

Towns like Fowler

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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