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Compare towns

Martinez vs Benicia

6 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (2.7× in Martinez) and street grid (+69% in Martinez).

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Martinez, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 36,903 people
B ×
Benicia, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 26,749 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 differ most

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

Martinez places higher on 11 of 23 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 about the same each month

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.

Martinez$4,410/mo
Typical home $754K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $2,353/mo · Housing →
Benicia$4,530/mo
Typical home $783K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $2,280/mo · Housing →

The difference: $120 a month, about $1,500 a year, between Benicia and Martinez.

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
MartinezBenicia
Snow a year0″0″
January low42°F40°F
July high88°F83°F
Growing season (days)346d299d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)87th77th
Outdoors & history
MartinezBenicia
Conserved land13.8%17.8%
Settled1849—
National Register places911
Archive photos18—
Famous people born here36—
Community
MartinezBenicia
Library hours a week—60 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

6 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

MartinezBeniciaMartinezBenicia
Martinez ↔ Benicia5.6 miles apart
Who commutes between them
375 Benicia residents work in Martinez (3.2% of its workers)
Work & commute in Benicia →
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.

MartinezBenicia
People
Population 36,903Highest 26,749Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.1%Highest CA: +6.1% +0.5%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 42.6±1.1Lowest 12% above CA 44.9±2Highest 18% above CA
Benicia and Martinez are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.8%±2Lowest CA: 22% 20.5%±2.2Highest CA: 22%
Benicia and Martinez are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.9%±1.5Lowest CA: 15.7% 23.7%±2.2Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 46.7%Lowest CA: 37.1% 47.6%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.7%±0.9Highest CA: 7.6% 5.2%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6%
Martinez and Benicia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $127,355±$8kHighest 28% above CA $121,204±$7kLowest 22% above CA
Martinez and Benicia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $859,800±$16kHighest 17% above CA $810,000±$22kLowest 10% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,353±$87Highest 16% above CA $2,280±$104Lowest 12% above CA
Martinez and Benicia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,291Highest 23% above CA $5,288Lowest 3% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 44.6%±6.3Lowest CA: 55.3% 61.4%±7.6Highest CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 6.3%Lowest CA: 12% 7.6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 70.8%Highest CA: 55.9% 69.5%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than CA 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest about the CA average 29 minHighest about the CA average
Work from home 22.3%±3.4Lowest CA: 17.2% 23.1%±3.3Highest CA: 17.2%
Benicia and Martinez are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 11.5%Lowest 14.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miLowest 16.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.39Highest 1.11Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Francisco (11%)San Francisco (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Benicia3% work in Martinez
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 13.8%Lowest 17.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 38.2 miHighest 13.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.8 miHighest 1.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 19Lowest 22Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 83.7Highest 49.5Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #130 of 574 in CA#34 of 574 in CA
School district Martinez Unified · Mt. Diablo UnifiedBenicia Unified
High school in town Alhambra Senior HighBenicia High
Students per teacherat that high school 21.1Lowest 22.2Highest
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.

Martinez neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Martinez’s Town Square.

Benicia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Benicia’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Martinez and Benicia

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

Bordering Martinez

Towns like Martinez

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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