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Compare towns

San Joaquin vs Mojave

157 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (156.8× in Mojave) and street grid (9.3× in San Joaquin).

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San Joaquin, CAHomes around $300KCalifornia · 3,708 people
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Mojave, CAHomes around $237KCalifornia · 5,173 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

Mojave places higher on 10 of 19 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 $390 more a month in San Joaquin

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 →
Mojave$1,340/mo
Typical home $237K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.50% · or rent about $1,214/mo · Housing →

The difference: $390 a month, about $4,700 a year, between San Joaquin and Mojave.

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
San JoaquinMojave
Snow a year—1″
January low—33°F
July high—97°F
Growing season (days)—241d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)78th79th
Outdoors & history
San JoaquinMojave
Trails1 mi94 mi
Conserved land1.9%0.5%
Settled1920—
Archive photos3—
Community
San JoaquinMojave
Library hours a week39 hrs13 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

157 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

San Joaquin ↔ Mojave157 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 JoaquinMojave
People
Population 3,708Lowest 5,173Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -7.5%Lowest CA: +6.1% +10.9%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 25.3±3.9Lowest 33% below CA 31.1±4.2Highest 18% below CA
Mojave 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% 33.6%±5Lowest CA: 22%
San Joaquin and Mojave 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% 8.7%±2.8Highest CA: 15.7%
Mojave 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% 8.7%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±2.9Lowest CA: 7.6% 4.8%±2.7Highest CA: 7.6%
Mojave 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 $55,660±$13kHighest 44% below CA
Mojave 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 $213,600±$28kLowest 71% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $967±$120Lowest 53% below CA $1,214±$117Highest 40% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,725Highest 66% below CA $1,064Lowest 79% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40.2%±12.2Lowest CA: 55.3% 55.6%±14.9Highest CA: 55.3%
Mojave 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% 25.5%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 32.6%Lowest CA: 55.9% 38.2%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than CA 1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 17% below CA 32 minHighest 10% above CA
Work from home 7.8%±7.7Lowest CA: 17.2% 10.3%±6.6Highest CA: 17.2%
Mojave and San Joaquin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.7%Lowest 19.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 31.3 miLowest 42.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.11Lowest 2.24Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Fresno (17%)Lancaster (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MojaveFew work in San Joaquin
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.9%Highest 0.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 94.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miLowest 1.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 73.3Highest 7.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #515 of 574 in CA#568 of 574 in CA
School district Golden Plains UnifiedKern County ROP · Mojave Unified
High school in town None in townMojave Jr./Sr. High
Students per teacherat that high school — 20.0
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.

Mojave neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mojave’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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