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

DSonoraSafer than 7% of U.S. towns –JamestownNot graded

Schools

B−SonoraBetter than 53% of districts in the state C+JamestownBetter than 35% of districts in the state

Health

C+SonoraHealthier than 40% of U.S. towns C+JamestownHealthier than 42% of U.S. towns

9Sonora

8Jamestown

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #481#90 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #207#455 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #288#526 Highest incomeIncome · 843 towns #535#749 Most educatedPeople · 844 towns #369#570 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #491#596 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #105#16 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #830#762

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

Where they are

Sonora and Jamestown share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

SonoraJamestown

Sonora ↔ Jamestown2.3 miles apart · They share a border

Who commutes between them

192 Jamestown residents work in Sonora (12.2% of its workers)

Work & commute in Jamestown →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Down paymentRate%

Sonora$2,350/mo

Typical home $403K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.71% · or rent about $1,238/mo · Housing →

Jamestown$2,350/mo

Typical home $400K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $944/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

SonoraJamestown

Snow a year0″0″

January low33°F 33°F

July high93°F 93°F

Growing season (days)213d 213d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)75th 97th

Outdoors & history

SonoraJamestown

Trails3 mi 0 mi

Conserved land1.7%1.4%

Settled1850 —

National Register places7 3

Famous people born here24 —

Community

SonoraJamestown

Library hours a week52 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

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.

Only big differences vs California average

SonoraJamestown

People

Population 4,919Highest 3,265Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2%Highest CA: +6.1% +1.3%Lowest CA: +6.1%

Median age 42.1±5.8Lowest 11% above CA 47.3±12.8Highest 25% above CA

Jamestown and Sonora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 20.6%±5.6Highest CA: 22% 16.7%±6.5Lowest CA: 22%

Sonora and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 24.2%±5.4Lowest CA: 15.7% 27.5%±6.4Highest CA: 15.7%

Jamestown and Sonora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.2%Highest CA: 37.1% 21%Lowest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±2.2Highest CA: 7.6% 4.3%±3.3Lowest CA: 7.6%

Sonora and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $82,690±$25kHighest 17% below CA $57,276±$12kLowest 42% below CA

Sonora and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $422,300±$33kHighest 43% below CA $374,600±$32kLowest 49% below CA

Sonora and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,238±$182Highest 39% below CA $944±$242Lowest 54% below CA

Sonora and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,016Highest 41% below CA $2,794Lowest 45% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.8%±12.9Lowest CA: 55.3% 69.5%±43.2Highest CA: 55.3%

Jamestown and Sonora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 16.9%Highest CA: 12% 6.1%Lowest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 42.8%Lowest CA: 55.9% 60.8%Highest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than CA 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 29 minHighest about the CA average 20 minLowest 29% below CA

Work from home 10.4%±5.4Highest CA: 17.2% 7.6%±8.3Lowest CA: 17.2%

Sonora and Jamestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 16.5%Highest 3.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 42.3 miHighest 41.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.63Highest 0.34Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town East Sonora (4%)Sonora (12%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Jamestown12% work in Sonora

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.7%Highest 1.4%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 3.3 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.1 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 91.5Highest 53.8Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #207 of 574 in CA #455 of 574 in CA

School district Sonora Elementary · Sonora Union HighJamestown Elementary

High school in town Sonora HighNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 23.0 —

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.

Sonora neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sonora’s Town Square.

Jamestown neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jamestown’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Sonora and Jamestown

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

Bordering Sonora

+ Compare

East Sonora2,651 people · $335K homes

Towns like Sonora

+ Compare

Willits4,920 people · $371K homes

+ Compare

Fort Bragg7,032 people · $535K homes

+ Compare

Avalon3,338 people · $936K homes

+ Compare

Calistoga5,111 people

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.

Sonora vs Jamestown

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Sonora places higher on 9 of 19 CA lists

Sonora and Jamestown share a border

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Sonora and Jamestown

Bordering Sonora

Towns like Sonora

Post to Sonora

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