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%

Maricopa$1,250/mo

Typical home $210K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $1,203/mo · Housing →

Matheny$890/mo

Typical home $151K (Census) · tax rate 0.77% · or rent about $1,242/mo · Housing →

The difference: $360 a month, about $4,300 a year, between Maricopa and Matheny.

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

MaricopaMatheny

Snow a year0″0″

January low41°F 38°F

July high99°F 94°F

Growing season (days)330d 328d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)93rd 86th

Outdoors & history

MaricopaMatheny

Settled1910 —

Famous people born here2 —

Community

MaricopaMatheny

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

77 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MaricopaCA MathenyCA

Maricopa ↔ Matheny77 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

MaricopaMatheny

People

Population 984Highest 572Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -11.1%Lowest CA: +6.1% -7.2%Highest CA: +6.1%

Median age 37.7±10.5Highest about the CA average 30.1±4.9Lowest 21% below CA

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

Kids under 18 24.8%±6Highest CA: 22% 21.5%±6.8Lowest CA: 22%

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

Age 65+ 19.5%±6.2Highest CA: 15.7% 8.7%±7.1Lowest CA: 15.7%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 6.4%Lowest CA: 37.1% 12.9%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3%±2Lowest CA: 7.6% 3.3%±3Highest CA: 7.6%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $39,120±$6kLowest 61% below CA $67,976±$18kHighest 31% below CA

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $155,500±$32kHighest 79% below CA $151,300±$66kLowest 79% below CA

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,203±$266Lowest 41% below CA $1,242±$197Highest 39% below CA

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,324Highest 74% below CA $1,167Lowest 77% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 69.6%±51.4Highest CA: 55.3% 29.4%±32.7Lowest CA: 55.3%

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

Below poverty line 22.4%Highest CA: 12% 18.9%Lowest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 60.3%Highest CA: 55.9% 43.4%Lowest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1970Lowest 6 yrs older than CA 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 29 minHighest about the CA average 20 minLowest 32% below CA

Work from home 2.1%±1.8Highest CA: 17.2% 0%±4.7Lowest CA: 17.2%

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

Work in townworking residents 8.7%Highest 0.3%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 28.8 miHighest 12.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.61Highest 0.05Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Bakersfield (22%)Visalia (16%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MathenyFew work in Maricopa

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.1%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 47.5Highest 46.6Lowest

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.

Maricopa neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Maricopa’s Town Square.

Matheny neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Matheny’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Maricopa

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Tulelake925 people · $170K homes

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Dorris869 people · $155K homes

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Fort Jones562 people · $229K homes

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Montague1,479 people · $184K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Maricopa vs Matheny

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $360 more a month in Maricopa

What daily life feels like in each

77 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Maricopa and Matheny

Towns like Maricopa

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