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Poway vs Livermore

420 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3.5× in Livermore) and trails (3.6× in Poway).

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Poway, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 48,713 people
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Livermore, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 85,522 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

Poway places higher on 15 of 22 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 $670 more a month in Poway

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.

Poway$7,000/mo
Typical home $1.21M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $2,301/mo · Housing →
Livermore$6,330/mo
Typical home $1.08M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.77% · or rent about $2,677/mo · Housing →

The difference: $670 a month, about $8,000 a year, between Poway and Livermore.

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
PowayLivermore
Snow a year0″0″
January low—39°F
July high—89°F
Growing season (days)—292d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)85th91st
Outdoors & history
PowayLivermore
Conserved land26.9%12.5%
Settled—1869
National Register places—6
Archive photos—16
Famous people born here2541
Community
PowayLivermore
Library hours a week51 hrs63 hrs
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

420 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Poway ↔ Livermore420 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.

PowayLivermore
People
Population 48,713Lowest 85,522Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.2%Lowest CA: +6.1% +8.6%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 41.2±1.4Highest 9% above CA 40.7±0.8Lowest 7% above CA
Poway and Livermore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.5%±1.7Highest CA: 22% 23%±1.3Lowest CA: 22%
Poway and Livermore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19%±1.3Highest CA: 15.7% 14.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 54.2%Highest CA: 37.1% 52.3%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.9%±0.9Lowest CA: 7.6% 6.4%±0.7Highest CA: 7.6%
Livermore and Poway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $148,359±$8kLowest 50% above CA $160,775±$7kHighest 62% above CA
Livermore and Poway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,034,800±$33kLowest 41% above CA $1,105,600±$14kHighest 50% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,301±$112Lowest 13% above CA $2,677±$94Highest 31% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,843Lowest 34% above CA $8,531Highest 66% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.7%±7.1Highest CA: 55.3% 55.4%±7.1Lowest CA: 55.3%
Poway and Livermore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.6%Highest CA: 12% 4.9%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 75.2%Highest CA: 55.9% 72%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than CA 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 12% below CA 30 minHighest 5% above CA
Work from home 23.9%±2.5Highest CA: 17.2% 21.9%±1.8Lowest CA: 17.2%
Poway and Livermore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 11.9%Lowest 22.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 20.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.46Highest 1.21Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Diego (49%)Pleasanton (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in LivermoreFew work in Poway
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 26.9%Highest 12.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 110.0 miHighest 30.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.8 miHighest 1.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 17Lowest 48Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 30.7Lowest 108Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #156 of 574 in CA#79 of 574 in CA
School district Poway UnifiedTri-Valley ROP · Livermore Valley Joint Unified
High school in town Poway HighGranada High
Students per teacherat that high school 21.5Lowest 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.

Poway neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Poway’s Town Square.

Livermore neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Missing Local Spots

1 neighbor in Livermore can answer.

Add a town

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

Bordering Poway

Towns like Poway

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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