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Templeton vs Atascadero

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (4× in Atascadero) and rent (+37% in Templeton).

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Templeton, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 9,580 people
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Atascadero, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 29,712 people
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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.

TempletonKnown for its schools
Schools#96 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 91%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$933K typical home22% above the CA typical home All about Templeton →
AtascaderoKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 74%of CA districts Housing$780K typical home2% above the CA typical home HealthHealthier than 72%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Atascadero →
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.

Trails4×
Atascadero has more miles of trail
Atascadero 20.7 miTempleton 5.2 mi
Rent+37%
Rent runs higher in Templeton
Templeton $2,533Atascadero $1,854
Household income+28%
Households in Templeton earn more
Templeton $117,063Atascadero $91,429
Size3.1×
Atascadero is the bigger place
Atascadero 29,712Templeton 9,580
Jobs per worker+81%
Templeton is more of a job hub
Templeton 1.23Atascadero 0.68
Bachelor’s degree++9.3 pts
More adults in Templeton have a degree
Templeton 40.9%Atascadero 31.6%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $910 more a month in Templeton

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.

Templeton$5,480/mo
Typical home $933K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $2,533/mo · Housing →
Atascadero$4,570/mo
Typical home $780K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $1,854/mo · Housing →

The difference: $910 a month, about $11,000 a year, between Templeton and Atascadero.

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

Templeton places higher on 11 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.

Safety
–TempletonNot graded BAtascaderoSafer than 58% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−TempletonBetter than 78% of districts in the state B+AtascaderoBetter than 74% of districts in the state
Health
ATempletonHealthier than 91% of U.S. towns B+AtascaderoHealthier than 72% of U.S. towns
11Templeton
8Atascadero

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

Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #664#389 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #158#424 Highest incomeIncome · 843 towns #247#451 HealthiestHealth · 844 towns #139#338 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #559#378 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #88#255 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #216#373 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #103#241

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

Where they are

Templeton and Atascadero share a border

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

TempletonAtascaderoTempletonAtascadero
Templeton ↔ Atascadero5.1 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
719 Atascadero residents work in Templeton (5.8% of its workers)
416 Templeton residents work in Atascadero (12% of its workers)
Work & commute in Atascadero →
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
TempletonAtascadero
Snow a year0″0″
January low34°F—
July high91°F—
Growing season (days)238d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)81st84th
Outdoors & history
TempletonAtascadero
Trails5 mi21 mi
Conserved land2.2%3.5%
Settled—1979
National Register places—2
Archive photos6—
Famous people born here614
Community
TempletonAtascadero
Library hours a week—39 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.

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.

TempletonAtascadero
People
Population 9,580Lowest 29,712Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +9.3%Highest CA: +6.1% +5.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 39.7±4.6Lowest 5% above CA 40.4±1.7Highest 7% above CA
Atascadero and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.1%±4.5Highest CA: 22% 21%±2.3Lowest CA: 22%
Templeton and Atascadero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.8%±3.7Highest CA: 15.7% 18.5%±1.8Lowest CA: 15.7%
Templeton and Atascadero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 40.9%Highest CA: 37.1% 31.6%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±2.8Highest CA: 7.6% 5.9%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6%
Templeton and Atascadero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $117,063±$12kHighest 18% above CA $91,429±$7kLowest 8% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $810,400±$37kHighest 10% above CA $716,500±$31kLowest about the CA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,533±$500Highest 24% above CA $1,854±$83Lowest 9% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,173Highest 20% above CA $5,289Lowest 3% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.2%±18.9 CA: 55.3% 53.2%±7.8 CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 4.2%Lowest CA: 12% 11.4%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.5%Highest CA: 55.9% 64.6%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1995Highest 19 yrs newer than CA 1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 27% below CA 23 minHighest 20% below CA
Work from home 8.6%±2.8Lowest CA: 17.2% 13.8%±2.6Highest CA: 17.2%
Atascadero and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12.8%Lowest 21.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miHighest 14.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.23Highest 0.68Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) (14%)San Luis Obispo (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 12% work in Atascadero6% work in Templeton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.2%Lowest 3.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 5.2 miLowest 20.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 36.9Highest 32.4Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #96 of 574 in CA—
School district Templeton UnifiedAtascadero Unified
High school in town Templeton HighAtascadero High
Students per teacherat that high school 19.8Highest 19.5Lowest
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.

Templeton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Templeton’s Town Square.

Atascadero neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Atascadero’s Town Square.

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Bordering Templeton

+ Compare
El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)31,446 people · $687K homes

Towns like Templeton

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American Canyon21,691 people · $693K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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