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Compare towns

Livermore vs Poway

420 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3.5× in Livermore) and trails (3.6× in Poway).

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Livermore, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 85,522 people
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Poway, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 48,713 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 · Report cards

Poway places higher on 15 of 22 CA lists

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.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $670 more a month in Poway

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.

Livermore$6,330/mo
Typical home $1.08M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.77% · or rent about $2,677/mo · Housing →
Poway$7,000/mo
Typical home $1.21M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $2,301/mo · Housing →

The difference: $670 a month, about $8,000 a year, between Poway and Livermore.

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
LivermorePoway
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F—
July high89°F—
Growing season (days)292d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)91st85th
Outdoors & history
LivermorePoway
Conserved land12.5%26.9%
Settled1869—
National Register places6—
Archive photos16—
Famous people born here4125
Community
LivermorePoway
Library hours a week63 hrs51 hrs
Colleges in town1—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

420 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Livermore ↔ Poway420 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.

LivermorePoway
People
Population 85,522Highest 48,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.6%Highest CA: +6.1% +2.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 40.7±0.8Lowest 7% above CA 41.2±1.4Highest 9% above CA
Poway and Livermore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23%±1.3Lowest CA: 22% 23.5%±1.7Highest CA: 22%
Poway and Livermore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 15.7% 19%±1.3Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 52.3%Lowest CA: 37.1% 54.2%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±0.7Highest CA: 7.6% 5.9%±0.9Lowest CA: 7.6%
Livermore and Poway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $160,775±$7kHighest 62% above CA $148,359±$8kLowest 50% above CA
Livermore and Poway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,105,600±$14kHighest 50% above CA $1,034,800±$33kLowest 41% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,677±$94Highest 31% above CA $2,301±$112Lowest 13% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $8,531Highest 66% above CA $6,843Lowest 34% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.4%±7.1Lowest CA: 55.3% 55.7%±7.1Highest CA: 55.3%
Poway and Livermore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.9%Lowest CA: 12% 5.6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72%Lowest CA: 55.9% 75.2%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than CA 1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 5% above CA 25 minLowest 12% below CA
Work from home 21.9%±1.8Lowest CA: 17.2% 23.9%±2.5Highest CA: 17.2%
Poway and Livermore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 22.6%Highest 11.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miHighest 12.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.21Lowest 1.46Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Pleasanton (8%)San Diego (49%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PowayFew work in Livermore
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 12.5%Lowest 26.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 30.5 miLowest 110.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.2 miLowest 2.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 48Highest 17Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 108Highest 30.7Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #79 of 574 in CA#156 of 574 in CA
School district Tri-Valley ROP · Livermore Valley Joint UnifiedPoway Unified
High school in town Granada HighPoway High
Students per teacherat that high school 22.2Highest 21.5Lowest
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.

Livermore neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Missing Local Spots

1 neighbor in Livermore can answer.

Poway neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Poway’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Livermore and Poway

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

Bordering Livermore

Towns like Livermore

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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