Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Solvang vs Durham

360 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (22.1× in Solvang) and trails (5.7× in Durham).

×
Solvang, CAHomes around $1.42MCalifornia · 6,034 people
×
Durham, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 5,340 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.

SolvangHomes around $1.42M
Housing$1.42M typical home86% above the CA typical home Schools#91 for schools in CAof 574 towns Outdoors#188 most trails in CA4.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Solvang →
DurhamKnown for its schools
Schools#151 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 69%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$601K typical home21% below the CA typical home All about Durham →
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 grid22.1×
Solvang has the more walkable street grid
Solvang 77.4Durham 3.5
Trails5.7×
Durham has more miles of trail
Durham 24.6 miSolvang 4.3 mi
Rent+51%
Rent runs higher in Solvang
Solvang $1,666Durham $1,105
Property tax bill+62%
Tax bills are bigger in Solvang
Solvang $6,987Durham $4,304
Home values+36%
Homes cost more in Solvang
Solvang $949,600Durham $700,100
Growth since 2010+11.1 pts
Solvang has grown faster since 2010
Solvang +16.8%Durham +5.7%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $4,840 more a month in Solvang

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.

Solvang$8,300/mo
Typical home $1.42M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $1,666/mo · Housing →
Durham$3,460/mo
Typical home $601K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.61% · or rent about $1,105/mo · Housing →

The difference: $4,840 a month, about $58,100 a year, between Solvang and Durham.

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

Solvang 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.

Safety
B+SolvangSafer than 69% of U.S. towns –DurhamNot graded
Schools
A−SolvangBetter than 83% of districts in the state B+DurhamBetter than 65% of districts in the state
Health
A−SolvangHealthier than 83% of U.S. towns B+DurhamHealthier than 69% of U.S. towns
12Solvang
7Durham

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #184#762 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #188#616 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #381#838 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #501#46 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #150#456 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #84#353 Lowest property taxCost of living · 835 towns #657#384 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #158#424

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

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
SolvangDurham
Snow a year—0″
January low—38°F
July high—94°F
Growing season (days)—279d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)93rd77th
Outdoors & history
SolvangDurham
Trails4 mi25 mi
Conserved land6.4%2.3%
Settled1911—
National Register places12
Archive photos187
Famous people born here32
Community
SolvangDurham
Library hours a week38 hrs21 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

360 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SolvangCADurhamCA
Solvang ↔ Durham360 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.

SolvangDurham
People
Population 6,034Highest 5,340Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +16.8%Highest CA: +6.1% +5.7%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 54.2±3.9Highest 43% above CA 50.8±6Lowest 34% above CA
Solvang and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 13.4%±3.7Lowest CA: 22% 18.1%±3.9Highest CA: 22%
Durham and Solvang are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 33.4%±5.8Highest CA: 15.7% 27.4%±3.9Lowest CA: 15.7%
Solvang and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 38.2%Lowest CA: 37.1% 40.4%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.1%±2.8Lowest CA: 7.6% 8.2%±6.2Highest CA: 7.6%
Durham and Solvang are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $109,091±$18kHighest 10% above CA $95,417±$29kLowest 4% below CA
Solvang and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $949,600±$93kHighest 29% above CA $700,100±$127kLowest 5% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,666±$199Highest 18% below CA $1,105±$82Lowest 46% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,987Highest 36% above CA $4,304Lowest 16% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.9%±11.2Lowest CA: 55.3% 43.1%±29.7Highest CA: 55.3%
Durham and Solvang are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.3%Highest CA: 12% 10.2%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57%Lowest CA: 55.9% 70.9%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than CA 1976Lowest same as CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minHighest about the CA average 18 minLowest 37% below CA
Work from home 15.8%±4.4Lowest CA: 17.2% 16.8%±9Highest CA: 17.2%
Durham and Solvang are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 20.5%Highest 12.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miHighest 9.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.09Highest 1.00Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Santa Barbara (11%)Chico (39%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DurhamFew work in Solvang
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.4%Highest 2.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 4.3 miLowest 24.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 77.4Highest 3.5Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #91 of 574 in CA#151 of 574 in CA
School district Solvang ElementaryDurham Unified
High school in town None in townDurham High
Students per teacherat that high school — 16.4
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.

Solvang neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Solvang’s Town Square.

Durham neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Durham’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Solvang and Durham

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Solvang

+ Compare
Santa Ynez4,467 people · $1.16M homes

Towns like Solvang

+ Compare
Calistoga5,111 people
+ Compare
Morro Bay10,692 people · $918K homes
+ Compare
Pismo Beach8,014 people · $1.02M homes
+ Compare
Sebastopol7,445 people · $846K homes

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.

Post to Solvang

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in