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Compare towns

Simi Valley vs Carson

41 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (26.7× in Simi Valley) and rent (+32% in Simi Valley).

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Simi Valley, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 125,634 people
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Carson, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 92,871 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

Simi Valley places higher on 14 of 23 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 $340 more a month in Simi Valley

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.

Simi Valley$4,860/mo
Typical home $833K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.71% · or rent about $2,579/mo · Housing →
Carson$4,530/mo
Typical home $786K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.62% · or rent about $1,956/mo · Housing →

The difference: $340 a month, about $4,000 a year, between Simi Valley and Carson.

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
Simi ValleyCarson
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)94th87th
Outdoors & history
Simi ValleyCarson
Trails80 mi3 mi
Conserved land23.7%2.6%
Settled19691968
National Register places3—
Archive photos2811
Famous people born here—41
Community
Simi ValleyCarson
Library hours a week56 hrs40 hrs
Colleges in town—1
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

41 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Simi Valley ↔ Carson41 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.

Simi ValleyCarson
People
Population 125,634Highest 92,871Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.7%Lowest CA: +6.1% +4.2%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 41.9±0.7Highest 11% above CA 41.7±1Lowest 10% above CA
Simi Valley and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.5%±1Lowest CA: 22% 20.1%±1.3Highest CA: 22%
Carson and Simi Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.2%±0.9Lowest CA: 15.7% 18.5%±1.1Highest CA: 15.7%
Carson and Simi Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 39.1%Highest CA: 37.1% 29.3%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.8%±0.6Highest CA: 7.6% 6.4%±0.8Lowest CA: 7.6%
Simi Valley and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $122,081±$5kHighest 23% above CA $108,703±$4kLowest 10% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $823,800±$10kHighest 12% above CA $704,400±$14kLowest 4% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,579±$87Highest 27% above CA $1,956±$109Lowest 4% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,851Highest 14% above CA $4,361Lowest 15% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 63.6%±5.2Highest CA: 55.3% 52.9%±5.1Lowest CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 6.4%Lowest CA: 12% 8.7%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.9%Lowest CA: 55.9% 74%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than CA 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 6% below CA 28 minHighest 4% below CA
Work from home 19.1%±1.5Highest CA: 17.2% 8.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 18.1%Highest 6.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miHighest 11.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.57Lowest 1.29Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (26%)Los Angeles (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CarsonFew work in Simi Valley
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 23.7%Highest 2.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 80.2 miHighest 3.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.9 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 48Highest 15Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 64.2Lowest 88.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #225 of 574 in CA#124 of 574 in CA
School district Insight School of California District · Simi Valley UnifiedMagnolia Science Academy 3 District · Compton Unified
High school in town Simi Valley HighCarson Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school 24.2Highest 18.5Lowest
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.

Simi Valley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Simi Valley’s Town Square.

Carson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Carson’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Simi Valley

Towns like Simi Valley

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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