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Compare towns

Ripon vs Atascadero

158 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3.3× in Ripon) and household income (+46% in Ripon).

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Ripon, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 16,201 people
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Atascadero, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 29,712 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

Ripon places higher on 13 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 $600 more a month in Atascadero

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.

Ripon$3,970/mo
Typical home $680K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.71% · or rent about $1,851/mo · Housing →
Atascadero$4,570/mo
Typical home $780K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $1,854/mo · Housing →

The difference: $600 a month, about $7,200 a year, between Atascadero and Ripon.

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
RiponAtascadero
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F—
July high95°F—
Growing season (days)305d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)63rd84th
Outdoors & history
RiponAtascadero
Conserved land9.7%3.5%
Settled19451979
National Register places—2
Archive photos5—
Famous people born here—14
Community
RiponAtascadero
Library hours a week42 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

158 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Ripon ↔ Atascadero158 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.

RiponAtascadero
People
Population 16,201Lowest 29,712Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +12%Highest CA: +6.1% +5.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 40.1±1.7Lowest 6% above CA 40.4±1.7Highest 7% above CA
Atascadero and Ripon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.1%±3.5Highest CA: 22% 21%±2.3Lowest CA: 22%
Ripon and Atascadero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.1%±2.6Lowest CA: 15.7% 18.5%±1.8Highest CA: 15.7%
Atascadero and Ripon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.4%Lowest CA: 37.1% 31.6%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.8%±2.5Highest CA: 7.6% 5.9%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6%
Ripon and Atascadero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $133,380±$25kHighest 35% above CA $91,429±$7kLowest 8% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $704,800±$35kLowest 4% below CA $716,500±$31kHighest about the CA average
Atascadero and Ripon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,851±$150Lowest 9% below CA $1,854±$83Highest 9% below CA
Atascadero and Ripon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,034Lowest about the CA average $5,289Highest 3% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.7%±12Highest CA: 55.3% 53.2%±7.8Lowest CA: 55.3%
Ripon and Atascadero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.4%Lowest CA: 12% 11.4%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 65.8%Highest CA: 55.9% 64.6%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1995Highest 19 yrs newer than CA 1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 7% below CA 23 minLowest 20% below CA
Work from home 9.3%±2.5Lowest CA: 17.2% 13.8%±2.6Highest CA: 17.2%
Atascadero and Ripon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 11.1%Lowest 21.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miHighest 14.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.62Lowest 0.68Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Modesto (11%)San Luis Obispo (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AtascaderoFew work in Ripon
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 9.7%Highest 3.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 10.6 miLowest 20.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.9 miHighest 0.8 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 7Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 107Highest 32.4Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #290 of 574 in CA—
School district Ripon UnifiedAtascadero Unified
High school in town Ripon HighAtascadero High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.2Highest 19.5Lowest
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.

Ripon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ripon’s Town Square.

Atascadero neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Atascadero’s Town Square.

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Towns like Ripon

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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