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San Joaquin vs Firebaugh

22 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+14.7 pts in Firebaugh) and trails (2.3× in Firebaugh).

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San Joaquin, CAHomes around $300KCalifornia · 3,708 people
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Firebaugh, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 8,392 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 $230 more a month in Firebaugh

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 Joaquin$1,730/mo
Typical home $300K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $967/mo · Housing →
Firebaugh$1,960/mo
Typical home $340K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $982/mo · Housing →

The difference: $230 a month, about $2,700 a year, between Firebaugh and San Joaquin.

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

San Joaquin places higher on 12 of 20 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.

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 JoaquinFirebaugh
Snow a year—0″
January low—38°F
July high—96°F
Growing season (days)—281d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)78th84th
Outdoors & history
San JoaquinFirebaugh
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land1.9%1.6%
Settled19201914
Archive photos318
Community
San JoaquinFirebaugh
Library hours a week39 hrs32 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

22 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

San JoaquinFirebaughSan JoaquinFirebaugh
San Joaquin ↔ Firebaugh22 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 JoaquinFirebaugh
People
Population 3,708Lowest 8,392Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -7.5%Lowest CA: +6.1% +7.2%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 25.3±3.9Lowest 33% below CA 31.4±4.1Highest 17% below CA
Firebaugh and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 40.2%±7Highest CA: 22% 35.1%±6.2Lowest CA: 22%
San Joaquin and Firebaugh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 7.4%±3.1Lowest CA: 15.7% 11.5%±3.2Highest CA: 15.7%
Firebaugh and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 1.5%Lowest CA: 37.1% 4.8%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±2.9Lowest CA: 7.6% 4.6%±1.7Highest CA: 7.6%
Firebaugh and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $43,011±$25kLowest 57% below CA $47,734±$4kHighest 52% below CA
Firebaugh and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $266,300±$23kHighest 64% below CA $242,400±$21kLowest 67% below CA
San Joaquin and Firebaugh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $967±$120Lowest 53% below CA $982±$111Highest 52% below CA
Firebaugh and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,725Highest 66% below CA $1,548Lowest 70% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40.2%±12.2Lowest CA: 55.3% 54%±16.6Highest CA: 55.3%
Firebaugh and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 41%Highest CA: 12% 36.6%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 32.6%Lowest CA: 55.9% 46.7%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1984Lowest 8 yrs newer than CA 1993Highest 17 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 17% below CA 26 minHighest 10% below CA
Work from home 7.8%±7.7Highest CA: 17.2% 3.4%±3.4Lowest CA: 17.2%
San Joaquin and Firebaugh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.7%Lowest 23.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 31.3 miHighest 28.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.11Highest 0.53Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Fresno (17%)Fresno (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FirebaughFew work in San Joaquin
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.9%Highest 1.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 1.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 73.3Highest 48.7Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #515 of 574 in CA#371 of 574 in CA
School district Golden Plains UnifiedFirebaugh-Las Deltas Unified
High school in town None in townFirebaugh High
Students per teacherat that high school — 18.6
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.

San Joaquin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to San Joaquin’s Town Square.

Firebaugh neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Firebaugh’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like San Joaquin

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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