What stands out worked out from the figures below

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Martinez has the most affordable homes ($860k median).

Pleasant Hill has the most expensive homes ($1077k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing townOutdoorsyWalkable streets

Measure	Martinez	Pleasant Hill
People
Population	36,903Highest	34,235Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.1%Lowest CA: +6.1%	+4.4%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age	42.6±1.1Highest 12% above CA	42±1.1Lowest 11% above CA
	Martinez and Pleasant Hill 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%	20.2%±1.9Highest CA: 22%
	Pleasant Hill and Martinez are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.9%±1.5Highest CA: 15.7%	17.6%±1.7Lowest CA: 15.7%
	Martinez and Pleasant Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.7%Lowest CA: 37.1%	54.6%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 7.6%	7.9%±1.6Highest CA: 7.6%
	Pleasant Hill and Martinez are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$127,355±$8kLowest 28% above CA	$145,029±$13kHighest 46% above CA
	Pleasant Hill and Martinez are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$859,800±$16kLowest 17% above CA	$1,077,100±$29kHighest 47% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,353±$87Lowest 16% above CA	$2,533±$164Highest 24% above CA
	Pleasant Hill and Martinez are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,291Lowest 23% above CA	$7,616Highest 49% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±6.3Lowest CA: 55.3%	57.7%±9.5Highest CA: 55.3%
	Pleasant Hill and Martinez are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.3%Lowest CA: 12%	7.3%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.8%Highest CA: 55.9%	62.6%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 1 yr newer than CA	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the CA average	30 minHighest 5% above CA
Work from home	22.3%±3.4Lowest CA: 17.2%	26.2%±2.8Highest CA: 17.2%
	Pleasant Hill and Martinez are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#130 of 574 in CA	#93 of 574 in CA
School district	Martinez Unified · Mt. Diablo Unified	Contra Costa County ROP · Mt. Diablo Unified
High school in town	Alhambra Senior High	College Park High
Students per teacherat that high school	21.1Lowest	22.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	12 photos →	None yet

CA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.