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Pacifica vs San Clemente

397 miles apart. The biggest differences: conserved land (+38.5 pts in Pacifica) and jobs per worker (3× in San Clemente).

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Pacifica, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 37,261 people
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San Clemente, CAHomes around $1.74MCalifornia · 63,273 people
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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.

PacificaAn outdoors town
Outdoors#27 most conserved land in CA42 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves Schools#75 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 92%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Pacifica →
San ClementeHomes around $1.74M
Housing$1.74M typical home128% above the CA typical home Schools#107 for schools in CAof 574 towns Outdoors#121 most trails in CA45 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves All about San Clemente →
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.

Conserved land+38.5 pts
Pacifica has more conserved land
Pacifica 42.7%San Clemente 4.2%
Jobs per worker3×
San Clemente is more of a job hub
San Clemente 0.81Pacifica 0.27
Rent+26%
Rent runs higher in Pacifica
Pacifica $3,098San Clemente $2,460
Street grid+59%
San Clemente has the more walkable street grid
San Clemente 91.7Pacifica 57.7
Typical home built17 yrs
Pacifica’s homes are older
San Clemente 1983Pacifica 1966
Work in town+10.4 pts
More of San Clemente’s workers stay in town
San Clemente 18.5%Pacifica 8.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $2,750 more a month in San Clemente

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.

Pacifica$7,250/mo
Typical home $1.26M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $3,098/mo · Housing →
San Clemente$9,990/mo
Typical home $1.74M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $2,460/mo · Housing →

The difference: $2,750 a month, about $33,000 a year, between San Clemente and Pacifica.

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.

Report cards

Pacifica places higher on 15 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.

Safety
B−PacificaSafer than 53% of U.S. towns B−San ClementeSafer than 52% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−PacificaBetter than 83% of districts in the state ASan ClementeBetter than 87% of districts in the state
Health
APacificaHealthier than 92% of U.S. towns ASan ClementeHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns
15Pacifica
6San Clemente

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #27#400 Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #272#52 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #184#420 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 422 towns #106#217 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #506#287 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #259#433 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #441#583 Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #387#315

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Pacifica’s rankings →

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
PacificaSan Clemente
Snow a year0″0″
January low45°F44°F
July high69°F80°F
Growing season (days)365d365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th68th
Outdoors & history
PacificaSan Clemente
Trails42 mi45 mi
Conserved land42.7%4.2%
National Register places26
Archive photos1214
Famous people born here637
Community
PacificaSan Clemente
Library hours a week57 hrs60 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

397 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PacificaCASan ClementeCA
Pacifica ↔ San Clemente397 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.

PacificaSan Clemente
People
Population 37,261Lowest 63,273Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.8%Highest CA: +6.1% +1.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 44.6±1.4Lowest 18% above CA 45.6±1.6Highest 20% above CA
San Clemente and Pacifica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18.2%±1.7Lowest CA: 22% 20.8%±1.7Highest CA: 22%
San Clemente and Pacifica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.4%±1.7Lowest CA: 15.7% 21.4%±1.4Highest CA: 15.7%
San Clemente and Pacifica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 48.9%Lowest CA: 37.1% 53.8%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.1%±1.2Highest CA: 7.6% 5.6%±0.8Lowest CA: 7.6%
Pacifica and San Clemente are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $160,523±$13kHighest 62% above CA $140,062±$11kLowest 41% above CA
Pacifica and San Clemente are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,249,800±$36kLowest 70% above CA $1,398,400±$89kHighest 90% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $3,098±$184Highest 52% above CA $2,460±$118Lowest 21% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $7,933Lowest 55% above CA $8,160Highest 59% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.4%±7.1Lowest CA: 55.3% 56%±5.1Highest CA: 55.3%
San Clemente and Pacifica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.8% CA: 12% 5.8% CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.7%Highest CA: 55.9% 66.5%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than CA 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 5% below CA 29 minHighest about the CA average
Work from home 23.6%±2.5Highest CA: 17.2% 22.8%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2%
Pacifica and San Clemente are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.1%Lowest 18.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 20.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.27Lowest 0.81Highest
Top workplaceoutside town San Francisco (33%)Irvine (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in San ClementeFew work in Pacifica
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 42.7%Highest 4.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 42.1 miLowest 44.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.4 miHighest 2.5 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 17Lowest 23Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 57.7Lowest 91.7Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #75 of 574 in CA#107 of 574 in CA
School district Jefferson Union High · PacificaCapistrano Unified
High school in town Terra Nova HighSan Clemente High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.0Lowest 23.6Highest
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.

Pacifica neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pacifica’s Town Square.

San Clemente neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to San Clemente’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Pacifica

+ Compare
Daly City101,964 people · $1.12M homes
+ Compare
San Bruno42,307 people · $1.21M homes
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South San Francisco64,305 people · $1.19M homes

Towns like Pacifica

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Martinez36,903 people · $860K homes
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Fountain Valley56,258 people · $1.07M homes
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Cypress49,498 people · $914K homes
B
+ Compare
Benicia26,749 people · $810K 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.

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