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Compare towns

Vacaville vs Carson

375 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (16.5× in Vacaville) and work in town (+14.4 pts in Vacaville).

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Vacaville, CAHomes around $602KCalifornia · 102,596 people
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Carson, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 92,871 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 $1,010 more a month in Carson

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.

Vacaville$3,520/mo
Typical home $602K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $2,299/mo · Housing →
Carson$4,530/mo
Typical home $786K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.62% · or rent about $1,956/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,010 a month, about $12,100 a year, between Carson 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

Vacaville 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
VacavilleCarson
Snow a year0″0″
January low40°F—
July high90°F—
Growing season (days)336d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)88th87th
Outdoors & history
VacavilleCarson
Trails50 mi3 mi
Conserved land13%2.6%
Settled18521968
National Register places3—
Archive photos711
Famous people born here1341
Community
VacavilleCarson
Library hours a week63 hrs40 hrs
Colleges in town—1
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

375 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Vacaville ↔ Carson375 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.

VacavilleCarson
People
Population 102,596Highest 92,871Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.8%Highest CA: +6.1% +4.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 38.2±0.8Lowest about the CA average 41.7±1Highest 10% above CA
Kids under 18 21.9%±1.1Highest CA: 22% 20.1%±1.3Lowest CA: 22%
Vacaville and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 15.7% 18.5%±1.1Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28%Lowest CA: 37.1% 29.3%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.3%±0.8Highest CA: 7.6% 6.4%±0.8Lowest CA: 7.6%
Vacaville and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $111,126±$3kHighest 12% above CA $108,703±$4kLowest 10% above CA
Vacaville and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $620,900±$7kLowest 15% below CA $704,400±$14kHighest 4% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,299±$74Highest 13% above CA $1,956±$109Lowest 4% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,507Highest 12% below CA $4,361Lowest 15% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 60.7%±4.1Highest CA: 55.3% 52.9%±5.1Lowest CA: 55.3%
Vacaville and Carson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.2%Lowest CA: 12% 8.7%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.5%Lowest CA: 55.9% 74%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than CA 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest about the CA average 28 minLowest 4% below CA
Work from home 12.4%±1.4Highest CA: 17.2% 8.7%±0.9Lowest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 21.3%Highest 6.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.8 miHighest 11.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.75Lowest 1.29Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Fairfield (13%)Los Angeles (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CarsonFew work in Vacaville
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 13%Highest 2.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 49.6 miHighest 3.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 40Highest 15Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 87.5Lowest 88.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #134 of 574 in CA#124 of 574 in CA
School district Travis Unified · Vacaville UnifiedMagnolia Science Academy 3 District · Compton Unified
High school in town Vacaville HighCarson Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school 21.3Highest 18.5Lowest
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.

Vacaville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Vacaville’s Town Square.

Carson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Carson’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Vacaville

Towns like Vacaville

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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