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Compare towns

Stockton vs Riverside

355 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (2.5× in Riverside) and home values (+33% in Riverside).

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Stockton, CAA history townCalifornia · 322,326 people
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Riverside, CAA history townCalifornia · 319,069 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 $1,200 more a month in Riverside

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.

Stockton$2,500/mo
Typical home $427K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $1,577/mo · Housing →
Riverside$3,700/mo
Typical home $645K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $1,914/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,200 a month, about $14,400 a year, between Riverside and Stockton.

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

Riverside places higher on 13 of 22 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
StocktonRiverside
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F43°F
July high95°F95°F
Growing season (days)305d353d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th94th
Outdoors & history
StocktonRiverside
Conserved land3%7.9%
Settled18491870
National Register places1724
Archive photos246
Famous people born here4644
Community
StocktonRiverside
Library hours a week48 hrs38 hrs
Colleges in town45
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

355 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Stockton ↔ Riverside355 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.

StocktonRiverside
People
Population 322,326Highest 319,069Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10%Highest CA: +6.1% +3.7%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 33.9±0.5Highest 11% below CA 33.6±0.5Lowest 11% below CA
Stockton and Riverside are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.7%±0.6Highest CA: 22% 23.1%±0.7Lowest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 13%±0.5Highest CA: 15.7% 12%±0.5Lowest CA: 15.7%
Stockton and Riverside are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20%Lowest CA: 37.1% 25.7%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7%±0.4Lowest CA: 7.6% 11.4%±0.5Highest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $79,907±$2kLowest 19% below CA $91,045±$2kHighest 8% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $440,900±$5kLowest 40% below CA $584,800±$6kHighest 20% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,577±$34Lowest 23% below CA $1,914±$33Highest 6% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,174Lowest 38% below CA $3,428Highest 33% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.6%±2.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 58.6%±2.4Highest CA: 55.3%
Riverside and Stockton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 15.5%Highest CA: 12% 12.2%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 53.9%Lowest CA: 55.9% 56.8%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than CA 1976Lowest same as CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 10% above CA 31 minLowest 9% above CA
Work from home 8%±0.7Lowest CA: 17.2% 10.6%±0.7Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 32.7%Highest 23.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.3 miHighest 13.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.88Lowest 1.17Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Lodi (4%)Corona (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RiversideFew work in Stockton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3%Lowest 7.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 65.6 miLowest 162.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miLowest 2.0 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 56Lowest 58Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 97.9Highest 76.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #308 of 574 in CA#479 of 574 in CA
School district San Joaquin County ROP · Stockton Collegiate International Secondary DistrictRiverside County Office Of Education ROP · REACH Leadership STEAM Academy District
High school in town Lincoln HighMartin Luther King Jr. High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.9Lowest 24.1Highest
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.

Stockton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Stockton’s Town Square.

Riverside neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Rainy Day in Riverside

1 neighbor in Riverside can answer.

Add a town

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Bordering Stockton

Towns like Stockton

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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