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

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

Schools

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

Health

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

8Holtville

9Exeter

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

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

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Holtville’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%

Holtville$2,010/mo

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

Exeter$2,290/mo

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

HoltvilleExeter

Snow a year0″0″

January low—37°F

July high—96°F

Growing season (days)—284d

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

Outdoors & history

HoltvilleExeter

Trails1 mi 3 mi

Conserved land3.1%3.2%

Settled1908 —

National Register places—1

Archive photos12 11

Famous people born here4 9

Community

HoltvilleExeter

Library hours a week36 hrs 26 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.

HoltvilleCA ExeterCA

Holtville ↔ Exeter322 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

HoltvilleExeter

People

Population 5,617Lowest 10,258Highest

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

Median age 34±6.3Lowest 10% below CA 34.8±2.8Highest 8% 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 31.2%±7.4Highest CA: 22% 28.7%±4.8Lowest CA: 22%

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

Age 65+ 17.6%±4.8Highest CA: 15.7% 13.9%±2.5Lowest 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+ 16.6%Highest CA: 37.1% 13.9%Lowest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.7%±4.1Highest CA: 7.6% 6.3%±1.9Lowest 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 $65,039±$27kLowest 34% below CA $75,769±$11kHighest 24% 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 $310,100±$46kHighest 58% below CA $307,600±$31kLowest 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 $861±$115Lowest 58% below CA $1,286±$113Highest 37% below CA

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

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.5%±20.7Highest CA: 55.3% 44.2%±12.2Lowest 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 18.7%Highest CA: 12% 14.2%Lowest CA: 12%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 3.8%±4Highest CA: 17.2% 3.4%±2Lowest 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 16.4%Highest 11.7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miLowest 12.3 miHighest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ExeterFew work in Holtville

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.1%Lowest 3.2%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miLowest 2.6 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miLowest 1.0 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 4Lowest

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

Schools

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

School district Holtville UnifiedExeter Unified

High school in town Holtville HighExeter Union High

Students per teacherat that high school 15.5Lowest 24.0Highest

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.

Holtville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Holtville’s Town Square.

Exeter neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Exeter’s Town Square.

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Towns like Holtville

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Woodlake7,702 people · $300K 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.

Holtville vs Exeter

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

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