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Sage vs Hemet

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: street grid (20.3× in Hemet) and size (24.2× in Hemet).

S ×
Sage, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 3,781 people
×
Hemet, CAHomes around $444KCalifornia · 91,326 people
Swap order
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.

SageAn outdoors town
Outdoors#210 most conserved land in CA44 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Sage →
HemetHomes around $444K
Housing$444K typical home42% below the CA typical home Outdoors#281 most conserved land in CA7.8 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves Health87% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Hemet →
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.

Street grid20.3×
Hemet has the more walkable street grid
Hemet 73.2Sage 3.6
Size24.2×
Hemet is the bigger place
Hemet 91,326Sage 3,781
Trails5.6×
Sage has more miles of trail
Sage 43.5 miHemet 7.8 mi
Household income2.1×
Households in Sage earn more
Sage $119,938Hemet $57,719
Home values+62%
Homes cost more in Sage
Sage $569,300Hemet $352,200
Jobs per worker3.4×
Hemet is more of a job hub
Hemet 0.57Sage 0.17
★ What stands out · Report cards

Sage places higher on 10 of 18 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
–SageNot graded C−HemetSafer than 21% of U.S. towns
Schools
–SageNot graded C+HemetBetter than 37% of districts in the state
Health
BSageHealthier than 56% of U.S. towns DHemetHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns
10Sage
7Hemet

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest incomeIncome · 843 towns #232#747 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #837#404 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #611#241 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #364#697 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #328#621 HealthiestHealth · 844 towns #477#767 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #424#679 Most affordableCost of living · 835 towns #351#145

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $710 more a month in Sage

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.

Sage$3,290/mo
Typical home $569K (Census) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $2,363/mo · Housing →
Hemet$2,580/mo
Typical home $444K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $1,575/mo · Housing →

The difference: $710 a month, about $8,500 a year, between Sage and Hemet.

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.

Where they are

Sage and Hemet share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

SageHemetSageHemet
Sage ↔ Hemet11 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
107 Sage residents work in Hemet (8.8% of its workers)
Work & commute in Sage →
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
SageHemet
Snow a year0″0″
January low40°F40°F
July high95°F95°F
Growing season (days)315d315d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)100th96th
Outdoors & history
SageHemet
Trails44 mi8 mi
Conserved land11.9%8.8%
Famous people born here—24
Community
SageHemet
Library hours a week—34 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.

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.

SageHemet
People
Population 3,781Lowest 91,326Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +14.2% CA: +6.1%
Median age 46.5±15.5Highest 23% above CA 39.8±1.7Lowest 5% above CA
Sage and Hemet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20%±4.7Lowest CA: 22% 23.1%±1.7Highest CA: 22%
Hemet and Sage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.3%±4Lowest CA: 15.7% 21.8%±1.3Highest CA: 15.7%
Hemet and Sage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.2%Highest CA: 37.1% 15.5%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.7%±2.5Lowest CA: 7.6% 5.6%±1Highest CA: 7.6%
Hemet and Sage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $119,938±$27kHighest 21% above CA $57,719±$3kLowest 42% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $569,300±$100kHighest 23% below CA $352,200±$13kLowest 52% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,363±$1kHighest 16% above CA $1,575±$71Lowest 23% below CA
Sage and Hemet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,684Highest 28% below CA $2,431Lowest 53% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 14.4%±22.6Lowest CA: 55.3% 62.2%±4.2Highest CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 8.8%Lowest CA: 12% 14.9%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 87.4%Highest CA: 55.9% 62.3%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than CA 1984Lowest 8 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 40 minHighest 39% above CA 36 minLowest 27% above CA
Work from home 8.7%±3.8Lowest CA: 17.2% 11.5%±1.6Highest CA: 17.2%
Hemet and Sage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.2%Lowest 12.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 32.8 miHighest 28.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.17Lowest 0.57Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Temecula (10%)San Jacinto (5%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 9% work in HemetFew work in Sage
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 11.9%Highest 8.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 43.5 miHighest 7.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 13Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.6Lowest 73.2Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#389 of 574 in CA
School district —Hemet Unified
High school in town —West Valley High
Students per teacherat that high school — 20.7
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.

Sage neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sage’s Town Square.

Hemet neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hemet’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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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