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Compare towns

San Clemente vs Arcadia

53 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.4× in San Clemente) and household income (+23% in San Clemente).

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San Clemente, CAHomes around $1.74MCalifornia · 63,273 people
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Arcadia, CAHomes around $1.38MCalifornia · 55,170 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 · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,950 more a month in San Clemente

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.

San Clemente$9,990/mo
Typical home $1.74M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $2,460/mo · Housing →
Arcadia$8,040/mo
Typical home $1.38M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69%+ · or rent about $2,191/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,950 a month, about $23,400 a year, between San Clemente and Arcadia.

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; “+” means the Census top-codes that town’s bill at $10,000, so its real rate is higher.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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.

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
San ClementeArcadia
Snow a year0″0″
January low44°F46°F
July high80°F89°F
Growing season (days)365d365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)68th93rd
Outdoors & history
San ClementeArcadia
Conserved land4.2%7.8%
National Register places61
Archive photos1418
Famous people born here3740
Community
San ClementeArcadia
Library hours a week60 hrs60 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

53 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

San Clemente ↔ Arcadia53 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.

San ClementeArcadia
People
Population 63,273Highest 55,170Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.2%Highest CA: +6.1% +0.6%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 45.6±1.6Highest 20% above CA 43.9±1.1Lowest 16% above CA
San Clemente and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.8%±1.7Lowest CA: 22% 20.9%±1.7Highest CA: 22%
Arcadia and San Clemente are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.4%±1.4Highest CA: 15.7% 20.6%±1.5Lowest CA: 15.7%
San Clemente and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 53.8%Lowest CA: 37.1% 57.4%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.6%±0.8Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.9%±1.2Highest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $140,062±$11kHighest 41% above CA $113,516±$10kLowest 15% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,398,400±$89kLowest 90% above CA $1,441,800±$74kHighest 96% above CA
Arcadia and San Clemente are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,460±$118Highest 21% above CA $2,191±$68Lowest 8% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $8,160Lowest 59% above CA $10,000+Highest at least 95% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 56%±5.1Lowest CA: 55.3% 58.5%±5.7Highest CA: 55.3%
Arcadia and San Clemente are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.8%Lowest CA: 12% 8.6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66.5%Highest CA: 55.9% 58.1%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than CA 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minLowest about the CA average 29 minHighest about the CA average
Work from home 22.8%±2.1Highest CA: 17.2% 22.7%±2.8Lowest CA: 17.2%
San Clemente and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 18.5%Highest 10.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miHighest 12.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.81Lowest 1.15Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Irvine (10%)Los Angeles (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ArcadiaFew work in San Clemente
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.2%Lowest 7.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 44.9 miHighest 10.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.5 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 23Highest 18Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 91.7Lowest 95.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #107 of 574 in CA#237 of 574 in CA
School district Capistrano UnifiedArcadia Unified
High school in town San Clemente HighArcadia High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.6Lowest 24.7Highest
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.

San Clemente neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to San Clemente’s Town Square.

Arcadia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Arcadia’s Town Square.

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Bordering San Clemente

Towns like San Clemente

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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