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Compare towns

Vacaville vs Tracy

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

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Vacaville, CAHomes around $602KCalifornia · 102,596 people
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Tracy, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 96,966 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.

Vacaville$3,520/mo
Typical home $602K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $2,299/mo · Housing →
Tracy$3,970/mo
Typical home $673K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $2,478/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
VacavilleTracy
Snow a year0″0″
January low40°F41°F
July high90°F93°F
Growing season (days)336d330d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)88th76th
Outdoors & history
VacavilleTracy
Conserved land13%2.3%
Settled1852—
National Register places35
Archive photos723
Famous people born here1315
Community
VacavilleTracy
Library hours a week63 hrs50 hrs
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

52 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Vacaville ↔ Tracy52 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.

VacavilleTracy
People
Population 102,596Highest 96,966Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.8%Lowest CA: +6.1% +12.2%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 38.2±0.8Highest about the CA average 35.6±0.7Lowest 6% below CA
Kids under 18 21.9%±1.1Lowest CA: 22% 26.5%±1.5Highest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 15.7%±0.9Highest CA: 15.7% 11.3%±0.8Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28%Lowest CA: 37.1% 28.5%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.3%±0.8Highest CA: 7.6% 6.6%±0.7Lowest 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 $111,126±$3kLowest 12% above CA $121,119±$6kHighest 22% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $620,900±$7kLowest 15% below CA $699,000±$11kHighest 5% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,299±$74Lowest 13% above CA $2,478±$87Highest 22% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,507Lowest 12% below CA $5,555Highest 8% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 60.7%±4.1Highest CA: 55.3% 52.2%±5.4Lowest 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 8.2%Highest CA: 12% 7.8%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.5%Highest CA: 55.9% 65%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Lowest 9 yrs newer than CA 1995Highest 19 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest about the CA average 43 minHighest 48% above CA
Work from home 12.4%±1.4Lowest CA: 17.2% 14.7%±1.6Highest 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 21.3%Highest 17.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.8 miLowest 28.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.75Lowest 1.09Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Fairfield (13%)Livermore (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TracyFew work in Vacaville
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 13%Highest 2.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 49.6 miHighest 10.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 40Lowest 76Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 87.5Lowest 106Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #134 of 574 in CA#283 of 574 in CA
School district Travis Unified · Vacaville UnifiedTracy Joint Unified · Jefferson Elementary
High school in town Vacaville HighMerrill F. West High
Students per teacherat that high school 21.3Lowest 21.4Highest
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.

Tracy neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Local History Gems

1 neighbor in Tracy can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Vacaville and Tracy

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

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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