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Rio Dell vs Empire

262 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4× in Empire) and work from home (+14.2 pts in Rio Dell).

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Rio Dell, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 3,349 people

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Empire, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 3,429 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.

Rio DellKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 28%of CA districts Housing$301K typical home61% below the CA typical home Health85% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Rio Dell →

EmpireOne of the healthiest towns

Health93% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Empire →

The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Empire has more miles of trail

Empire 0.4 miRio Dell 0.1 mi

Work from home+14.2 pts

More people work from home in Rio Dell

Rio Dell 14.2%Empire 0%

Jobs per worker2.2×

Empire is more of a job hub

Empire 0.51Rio Dell 0.23

Property tax bill+21%

Tax bills are bigger in Rio Dell

Rio Dell $1,637Empire $1,353

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $150 more a month in Empire

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.

Down paymentRate%

Rio Dell$1,720/mo

Typical home $301K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.54% · or rent about $1,042/mo · Housing →

Empire$1,870/mo

Typical home $335K (Census) · tax rate 0.40% · or rent about $1,238/mo · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,900 a year, between Empire and Rio Dell.

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

Rio Dell places higher on 10 of 17 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

CRio DellSafer than 31% of U.S. towns –EmpireNot graded

Schools

CRio DellBetter than 28% of districts in the state B−EmpireBetter than 48% of districts in the state

Health

C−Rio DellHealthier than 15% of U.S. towns DEmpireHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns

10Rio Dell

7Empire

Lists won, of 17 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #52#443 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #836#420 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #397#692 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #342#619 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #603#776 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #696#804 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #78#162 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #34#106

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Rio Dell’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

Rio DellEmpire

Snow a year1″0″

January low38°F 42°F

July high73°F 93°F

Growing season (days)264d 351d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)100th 70th

Outdoors & history

Rio DellEmpire

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land0.4%0.8%

Settled1965 —

Archive photos15 —

Community

Rio DellEmpire

Library hours a week15 hrs 30 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

262 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Rio DellCA EmpireCA

Rio Dell ↔ Empire262 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.

Only big differences vs California average

Rio DellEmpire

People

Population 3,349Lowest 3,429Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.3% CA: +6.1% +0.3% CA: +6.1%

Median age 35.2±7Lowest 7% below CA 41.1±8.4Highest 8% above CA

Empire and Rio Dell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 26.5%±7.8Highest CA: 22% 19.6%±5.7Lowest CA: 22%

Rio Dell and Empire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 15.7%±6.5Lowest CA: 15.7% 16.1%±4.7Highest CA: 15.7%

Empire and Rio Dell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 10.7%Highest CA: 37.1% 7.7%Lowest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±3Highest CA: 7.6% 3.2%±2.3Lowest CA: 7.6%

Rio Dell and Empire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $42,753±$14kLowest 57% below CA $52,563±$23kHighest 47% below CA

Empire and Rio Dell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $301,700±$53kLowest 59% below CA $335,200±$16kHighest 54% below CA

Empire and Rio Dell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,042±$127Lowest 49% below CA $1,238±$264Highest 39% below CA

Empire and Rio Dell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,637Highest 68% below CA $1,353Lowest 74% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 85.8%±18Highest CA: 55.3% 72.2%±54.8Lowest CA: 55.3%

Rio Dell and Empire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 17.6%Lowest CA: 12% 22.3%Highest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 56.8%Lowest CA: 55.9% 60.8%Highest 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 20 minLowest 31% below CA 23 minHighest 21% below CA

Work from home 14.2%±12.3Highest CA: 17.2% 0%±1.1Lowest CA: 17.2%

Work in townworking residents 6.5%Highest 0.7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miLowest 30.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.23Lowest 0.51Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Eureka (21%)Modesto (18%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in EmpireFew work in Rio Dell

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.4%Lowest 0.8%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 0.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 58.0Lowest 59.4Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #490 of 574 in CA—

School district Rio Dell ElementaryEmpire Union Elementary · Stanislaus County Office of Education

High school in town None in townTeel School in Empire

Students per teacherat that high school — 9.6

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.

Rio Dell neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rio Dell’s Town Square.

Empire neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Empire’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Rio Dell and Empire

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

Bordering Rio Dell

Scotia405 people · $342K homes

Towns like Rio Dell

Weed2,737 people · $260K homes

Dos Palos5,765 people · $300K homes

Portola2,441 people · $231K homes

Holtville5,617 people · $310K 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.