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Compare towns

Mojave vs San Joaquin

157 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (156.8× in Mojave) and street grid (9.3× in San Joaquin).

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Mojave, CAHomes around $237KCalifornia · 5,173 people
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San Joaquin, CAHomes around $300KCalifornia · 3,708 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

Mojave places higher on 10 of 19 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 $390 more a month in San Joaquin

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.

Mojave$1,340/mo
Typical home $237K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.50% · or rent about $1,214/mo · Housing →
San Joaquin$1,730/mo
Typical home $300K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $967/mo · Housing →

The difference: $390 a month, about $4,700 a year, between San Joaquin and Mojave.

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
MojaveSan Joaquin
Snow a year1″—
January low33°F—
July high97°F—
Growing season (days)241d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)79th78th
Outdoors & history
MojaveSan Joaquin
Trails94 mi1 mi
Conserved land0.5%1.9%
Settled—1920
Archive photos—3
Community
MojaveSan Joaquin
Library hours a week13 hrs39 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

157 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Mojave ↔ San Joaquin157 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.

MojaveSan Joaquin
People
Population 5,173Highest 3,708Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.9%Highest CA: +6.1% -7.5%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 31.1±4.2Highest 18% below CA 25.3±3.9Lowest 33% below CA
Mojave and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 33.6%±5Lowest CA: 22% 40.2%±7Highest CA: 22%
San Joaquin and Mojave are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 8.7%±2.8Highest CA: 15.7% 7.4%±3.1Lowest CA: 15.7%
Mojave and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8.7%Highest CA: 37.1% 1.5%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±2.7Highest CA: 7.6% 3.8%±2.9Lowest CA: 7.6%
Mojave and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $55,660±$13kHighest 44% below CA $43,011±$25kLowest 57% below CA
Mojave and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $213,600±$28kLowest 71% below CA $266,300±$23kHighest 64% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,214±$117Highest 40% below CA $967±$120Lowest 53% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,064Lowest 79% below CA $1,725Highest 66% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.6%±14.9Highest CA: 55.3% 40.2%±12.2Lowest CA: 55.3%
Mojave and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 25.5%Lowest CA: 12% 41%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 38.2%Highest CA: 55.9% 32.6%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than CA 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 10% above CA 24 minLowest 17% below CA
Work from home 10.3%±6.6Highest CA: 17.2% 7.8%±7.7Lowest CA: 17.2%
Mojave and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 19.8%Highest 4.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 42.8 miHighest 31.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.24Highest 1.11Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Lancaster (11%)Fresno (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in San JoaquinFew work in Mojave
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.5%Lowest 1.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 94.1 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.6 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 7.9Lowest 73.3Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #568 of 574 in CA#515 of 574 in CA
School district Kern County ROP · Mojave UnifiedGolden Plains Unified
High school in town Mojave Jr./Sr. HighNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 20.0 —
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.

Mojave neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mojave’s Town Square.

San Joaquin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to San Joaquin’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Mojave and San Joaquin

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Towns like Mojave

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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