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Compare towns

Tracy vs Vacaville

52 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.6× in Vacaville) and average commute (14 min in Vacaville).

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Tracy, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 96,966 people
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Vacaville, CAHomes around $602KCalifornia · 102,596 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 $450 more a month in Tracy

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.

Tracy$3,970/mo
Typical home $673K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $2,478/mo · Housing →
Vacaville$3,520/mo
Typical home $602K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $2,299/mo · Housing →

The difference: $450 a month, about $5,500 a year, between Tracy and Vacaville.

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

Tracy places higher on 13 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.

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
TracyVacaville
Snow a year0″0″
January low41°F40°F
July high93°F90°F
Growing season (days)330d336d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th88th
Outdoors & history
TracyVacaville
Conserved land2.3%13%
Settled—1852
National Register places53
Archive photos237
Famous people born here1513
Community
TracyVacaville
Library hours a week50 hrs63 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

52 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Tracy ↔ Vacaville52 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.

TracyVacaville
People
Population 96,966Lowest 102,596Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +12.2%Highest CA: +6.1% +10.8%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 35.6±0.7Lowest 6% below CA 38.2±0.8Highest about the CA average
Kids under 18 26.5%±1.5Highest CA: 22% 21.9%±1.1Lowest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 11.3%±0.8Lowest CA: 15.7% 15.7%±0.9Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28.5%Highest CA: 37.1% 28%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.6%±0.7Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.3%±0.8Highest CA: 7.6%
Vacaville and Tracy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $121,119±$6kHighest 22% above CA $111,126±$3kLowest 12% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $699,000±$11kHighest 5% below CA $620,900±$7kLowest 15% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,478±$87Highest 22% above CA $2,299±$74Lowest 13% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,555Highest 8% above CA $4,507Lowest 12% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.2%±5.4Lowest CA: 55.3% 60.7%±4.1Highest CA: 55.3%
Vacaville and Tracy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.8%Lowest CA: 12% 8.2%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 65%Lowest CA: 55.9% 67.5%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1995Highest 19 yrs newer than CA 1985Lowest 9 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 43 minHighest 48% above CA 28 minLowest about the CA average
Work from home 14.7%±1.6Highest CA: 17.2% 12.4%±1.4Lowest CA: 17.2%
Tracy and Vacaville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 17.4%Lowest 21.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 28.8 miHighest 25.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.09Highest 0.75Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Livermore (8%)Fairfield (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in VacavilleFew work in Tracy
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.3%Lowest 13%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 10.9 miLowest 49.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miLowest 1.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 76Highest 40Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 106Highest 87.5Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #283 of 574 in CA#134 of 574 in CA
School district Tracy Joint Unified · Jefferson ElementaryTravis Unified · Vacaville Unified
High school in town Merrill F. West HighVacaville High
Students per teacherat that high school 21.4Highest 21.3Lowest
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.

Tracy neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Local History Gems

1 neighbor in Tracy can answer.

Vacaville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Vacaville’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Tracy and Vacaville

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

Towns like Tracy

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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