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

CJacksonSafer than 27% of U.S. towns –AngelsNot graded

Schools

C+JacksonBetter than 44% of districts in the state B+AngelsBetter than 68% of districts in the state

Health

B+JacksonHealthier than 69% of U.S. towns BAngelsHealthier than 56% of U.S. towns

13Jackson

7Angels

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #10#634 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #259#748 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #777#357 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #270#453 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #420#680 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #329#530 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #179#375 Lowest property taxCost of living · 835 towns #167#279

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $340 more a month in Angels

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%

Jackson$2,500/mo

Typical home $435K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $1,429/mo · Housing →

Angels$2,830/mo

Typical home $485K (Census) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $1,833/mo · Housing →

The difference: $340 a month, about $4,000 a year, between Angels and Jackson.

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

JacksonAngels

Snow a year0″0″

January low40°F 38°F

July high95°F 97°F

Growing season (days)332d 290d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)81st 78th

Outdoors & history

JacksonAngels

Trails0 mi 2 mi

Conserved land0.7%0.8%

Settled1848 1848

National Register places9 5

Archive photos12 12

Famous people born here—5

Community

JacksonAngels

Library hours a week40 hrs 23 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

23 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

JacksonAngels

Jackson ↔ Angels23 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

JacksonAngels

People

Population 5,048Highest 3,716Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.9%Highest CA: +6.1% -4.4%Lowest CA: +6.1%

Median age 50.2±6.1Lowest 32% above CA 55±11.2Highest 45% above CA

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

Kids under 18 16.9%±4.4Lowest CA: 22% 23.1%±8Highest CA: 22%

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

Age 65+ 38%±7.1Highest CA: 15.7% 31.8%±6.9Lowest CA: 15.7%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.6%Lowest CA: 37.1% 27.5%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±2.1Highest CA: 7.6% 3.3%±3.2Lowest CA: 7.6%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $70,239±$18kHighest 29% below CA $62,188±$15kLowest 37% below CA

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $442,700±$49kLowest 40% below CA $484,800±$81kHighest 34% below CA

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,429±$151Lowest 30% below CA $1,833±$152Highest 10% below CA

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,632Lowest 49% below CA $3,483Highest 32% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 58.7%±20.3Lowest CA: 55.3% 94%±85Highest CA: 55.3%

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

Below poverty line 10.9%Lowest CA: 12% 11.2%Highest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 60.5%Lowest CA: 55.9% 81.1%Highest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than CA 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minHighest 30% below CA 15 minLowest 48% below CA

Work from home 2.6%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 14.6%±8.2Highest CA: 17.2%

Work in townworking residents 11.3%Highest 11.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 39.3 miLowest 46.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.11Lowest 1.12Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Sacramento (5%)Murphys (4%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AngelsFew work in Jackson

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.7%Lowest 0.8%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 1.6 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 2Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 52.1Lowest 69.1Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #270 of 574 in CA #453 of 574 in CA

School district Amador County ROP · Amador County UnifiedBret Harte Union High · Mark Twain Union Elementary

High school in town Argonaut HighBret Harte Union High

Students per teacherat that high school 19.1Highest 17.0Lowest

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.

Jackson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson’s Town Square.

Angels neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Angels’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Jackson and Angels

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

Bordering Jackson

+ Compare

Martell180 people

Towns like Jackson

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Placerville10,762 people · $473K homes

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Big Bear Lake5,041 people · $577K homes

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Calistoga5,111 people

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Fort Bragg7,032 people · $535K 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.

Jackson vs Angels

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Jackson places higher on 13 of 20 CA lists

A typical home costs $340 more a month in Angels

What daily life feels like in each

23 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Jackson and Angels

Bordering Jackson

Towns like Jackson

Post to Jackson

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