Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Paramount vs Lompoc

142 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (2.4× in Lompoc) and property tax bill (+34% in Paramount).

×
Paramount, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 52,050 people
×
Lompoc, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 43,646 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

Lompoc places higher on 14 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 $360 more a month in Paramount

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.

Paramount$3,760/mo
Typical home $647K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $1,875/mo · Housing →
Lompoc$3,410/mo
Typical home $595K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $1,589/mo · Housing →

The difference: $360 a month, about $4,300 a year, between Paramount and Lompoc.

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
ParamountLompoc
Snow a year0″0″
January low—43°F
July high—73°F
Growing season (days)—335d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)87th83rd
Outdoors & history
ParamountLompoc
Trails4 mi9 mi
Conserved land2.5%3.1%
Settled19571888
National Register places—3
Archive photos123
Famous people born here1131
Community
ParamountLompoc
Library hours a week40 hrs44 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

142 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Paramount ↔ Lompoc142 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.

ParamountLompoc
People
Population 52,050Highest 43,646Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.7%Lowest CA: +6.1% +4.7%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 33.4±1.2Lowest 12% below CA 35.1±1.4Highest 7% below CA
Lompoc and Paramount are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.1%±1.9Lowest CA: 22% 26.1%±2.1Highest CA: 22%
Lompoc and Paramount are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.1%±1Lowest CA: 15.7% 13%±1.2Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.9%Highest CA: 37.1% 13.7%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8%±1Highest CA: 7.6% 5.4%±1Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $75,250±$6kHighest 24% below CA $72,004±$7kLowest 27% below CA
Paramount and Lompoc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $533,700±$26kHighest 27% below CA $472,900±$13kLowest 36% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,875±$55Highest 8% below CA $1,589±$63Lowest 22% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,681Highest 28% below CA $2,737Lowest 47% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 58.7%±4.9Highest CA: 55.3% 54%±6.2Lowest CA: 55.3%
Paramount and Lompoc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.6%Lowest CA: 12% 17.3%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 43%Lowest CA: 55.9% 49%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than CA 1976Highest same as CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest about the CA average 28 minLowest 4% below CA
Work from home 7.3%±1.2Highest CA: 17.2% 7.1%±1.6Lowest CA: 17.2%
Paramount and Lompoc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7.5%Lowest 22.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.8 miLowest 22.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.77Highest 0.45Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (17%)Santa Barbara (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in LompocFew work in Paramount
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.5%Lowest 3.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 3.6 miLowest 8.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 10Lowest 11Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 111Highest 72.0Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #369 of 574 in CA#393 of 574 in CA
School district Paramount UnifiedLompoc Unified
High school in town Paramount HighLompoc High
Students per teacherat that high school 19.3Lowest 19.5Highest
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.

Paramount neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Paramount’s Town Square.

Lompoc neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lompoc’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Paramount and Lompoc

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

Bordering Paramount

Towns like Paramount

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.

Post to Paramount

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in