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Compare towns

Jackson vs Hartley

64 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (7.4× in Jackson) and property tax bill (2.4× in Hartley).

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Jackson, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 5,048 people
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Hartley, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 2,431 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.

JacksonOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 69%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Schools#270 for schools in CAof 574 towns Housing$435K typical home43% below the CA typical home All about Jackson →
HartleyOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 76%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Hartley →
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.

Street grid7.4×
Jackson has the more walkable street grid
Jackson 52.1Hartley 7.0
Property tax bill2.4×
Tax bills are bigger in Hartley
Hartley $6,250Jackson $2,632
Jobs per worker5×
Jackson is more of a job hub
Jackson 1.11Hartley 0.22
Home values+90%
Homes cost more in Hartley
Hartley $840,900Jackson $442,700
Household income+77%
Households in Hartley earn more
Hartley $124,254Jackson $70,239
Work from home+12.7 pts
More people work from home in Hartley
Hartley 15.3%Jackson 2.6%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $2,430 more a month in Hartley

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.

Jackson$2,500/mo
Typical home $435K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $1,429/mo · Housing →
Hartley$4,930/mo
Typical home $841K (Census) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $1,225/mo · Housing →

The difference: $2,430 a month, about $29,200 a year, between Hartley 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.

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.

Safety
CJacksonSafer than 27% of U.S. towns –HartleyNot graded
Schools
C+JacksonBetter than 44% of districts in the state –HartleyNot graded
Health
B+JacksonHealthier than 69% of U.S. towns A−HartleyHealthier than 76% 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
JacksonHartley
Snow a year0″0″
January low40°F38°F
July high95°F93°F
Growing season (days)332d295d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)81st70th
Outdoors & history
JacksonHartley
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land0.7%0.9%
Settled1848—
National Register places9—
Archive photos12—
Community
JacksonHartley
Library hours a week40 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

64 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

JacksonCAHartleyCA
Jackson ↔ Hartley64 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.

JacksonHartley
People
Population 5,048Highest 2,431Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.9%Highest CA: +6.1% -3.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 50.2±6.1Lowest 32% above CA 53.9±9.9Highest 42% above CA
Hartley and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16.9%±4.4Highest CA: 22% 16.4%±6.1Lowest CA: 22%
Jackson and Hartley 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% 24.4%±5.6Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.6%Lowest CA: 37.1% 28.7%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±2.1Highest CA: 7.6% 1.4%±1.5Lowest CA: 7.6%
Jackson and Hartley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $70,239±$18kLowest 29% below CA $124,254±$20kHighest 25% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $442,700±$49kLowest 40% below CA $840,900±$116kHighest 14% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,429±$151Highest 30% below CA $1,225±$294Lowest 40% below CA
Jackson and Hartley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,632Lowest 49% below CA $6,250Highest 22% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 58.7%±20.3Highest CA: 55.3% 46.6%±30.8Lowest CA: 55.3%
Jackson and Hartley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.9%Highest CA: 12% 7.2%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 60.5%Lowest CA: 55.9% 74%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than CA 1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 30% below CA 24 minHighest 16% below CA
Work from home 2.6%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 15.3%±9.9Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 11.3%Highest 0.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 39.3 miHighest 26.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.11Highest 0.22Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sacramento (5%)Vacaville (20%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HartleyFew work in Jackson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.7%Lowest 0.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 1.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 52.1Highest 7.0Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #270 of 574 in CA—
School district Amador County ROP · Amador County Unified—
High school in town Argonaut High—
Students per teacherat that high school 19.1 —
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.

Hartley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hartley’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Jackson and Hartley

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Bordering Jackson

M
+ 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.

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